GRAY Undercover l Nate Gray Love Story
by MemoryWriter
Summary: Ash is a normal teenager, except her three friends are spies from an organization called G.R.A.Y. Now that she's 15, she joins them. Ash must learn to cope her spy work with her school work. Especially when her feelings for Nate, her best friend, kick in.
1. The Beginning Pt1

Okay, this is a story I made up before, and I wanted to post it here too but I couldn't copy the J.O.N.A.S ancronym (sp?) So after one night of breaking my leg, I finally came up with one for G.R.A.Y. Sorry if it doesn't sound right when you read the first chapter, but I hope you like it. I'll post more chapters soon.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1: The Beginning Pt.1**

"I mean it! They caught my, uh, fever! Oh yeah, they're really sick, they won't be in for the rest of the day," I explained to the teacher rather quickly.

Ms. Autumn gave me that _'yeah right'_ look. I was already on her hate list, so why was I lying to her again? "They were here this morning, Ms. Drame. Either you take a seat and I call Mr. Gray or you can join them in detention. Now sit!"

I pouted and sat back in my seat, three other seats in the classroom empty. Belonging to who? My three best friends, Nate, Shane, and Jason Gray. And our teacher, Ms. Autumn, was right, they _were _here this morning in the hallways. Except they got called on another spy mission, and had to sneak out, leaving. And of course, that left for me to cover for them so it wouldn't raise suspicion. But this was a normal routine that happened every once in a while during the course of the week.

The day went by fast here in school for me as a freshman. Youd' think after graduating middle school that high school would be tough, adventurous, a whole new world right next door. Well after one week, you loose that feeling, and it's just school again. Nate was a freshman as well, just 15. Shane was a junior, 17. And Jason was a senior, 18. Amazing how it all fits in right? No, because my best friends are spies.

--

"We're home!" yelled voices coming in through the front door of the fire house.

Mr. Gray and I looked up from the living room couch and saw the guys walk in. Nate, Shane, and Jason.

"Hey boys, you're earlier than expected," their dad said, holding a paper in his hands before putting it down.

"We finished the mission early," Jason answered simply, falling onto the couch. He didn't seem tired, rather bored.

"All thanks for our swift spy moves," Shane gloated, flexting his arm muscle.

Nate rolled his eyes. "Only because you fell on the guy and broke his ribs."

"Like it was my fault the net broke," Shane said.

"In this case it is. The net was made of toilet paper," Jason pointed out.

I chuckled, putting down the magazine catalogue I was reading. "Geez you guys act as if this mission stuff is easy."

"It is," Nate said with a shrug.

I made a face. "Not for me. I had to cover for you guys again and got this close to getting detention," I stated, making a small space in between my thumb and my index finger. You could fit a raisin through the hole.

"Sorry, Ash," Shane apologized before sitting next to me. "But picture it this way. When you lie to Ms. Autumn, you're saving the world by letting us ditch school," he said enthusiastically with a thumbs up.

I smiled fakely. "Yes. That's a perfect example to follow," I nodded with sarcasm.

Their dad, Mr. Gray, cleared his throat. "You know, we're lucky to even have Ashley in on our secret. It's easier for me to deal with your school now a days when you leave 'unexpectedly'."

I crossed my hands behind the back of my head . "Not like it makes a difference. I always wind up in trouble somehow." I scoffed. "I actually got that detention in the end."

Nate snapped his eyes towards me. "You got detention covering for us?"

"Nah, I was in the food fight today," I shrugged, making Nate give me an accusing look for getting him all worked up.

Jason shook his head. "And you say us being spies isn't normal."

I just grinned. My name was Ashley Drame, but the guys call me Ash for short. I live with my Mom, my cool Mom. She's 30 right now, got pregnant with me at 15. But she's cool because she's like a big sister, rather than one of those over-protective-not-wanting-to-talk-to-about-personal-problems moms. And it's awesome, since I'm only 15 myself.

Nate shook his head with a small laugh. "Come on, let's go up. You're sleeping over again?"

"You had to ask?" I said as I stood up, rushing up to catch up with Nate. We went to the elevator and headed up. The Grays lived in a firehouse revamped into a home. But they're spies, so no surprise they'd need such a big place.

The elevator door opened and we were tackled in a hug. "Nate! You're home!" Aiden yelled as he tackled Nate inside the elevator. Aiden was the guys' 7-year old little brother.

As Aiden tackled Nate, he fell backwards, and onto me. The three of us crashed onto the ground, me on the bottom.

"One normal night, that's all I ask for," I said, picking my head up from the dog pile and adjusting my hat.

"Ash you've been wishing for a normal night for three years. Not gonna happen," Nate said to me before sitting up. "Good to see you Aiden."

A grin appeared on his face. "Good to have you home. Did anything new happen on the mission?"

"No more than the usual," Nate said, walking out of the elevator and leaving me and Aiden. "So onto another story, what did you and Ash do?"

"You guys left me and Aiden playing board games all day. It was so boring," I whined, sitting up.

"Sorry, we were out saving the world," Nate said, making me laugh and shake my head. But as Aiden and I walked out, the door closed and my foot got stuck inside. I stood on one foot with my leg in the air, Aiden and Nate staring at me. "You laugh you sleep with one eye open," I threatened, though I was partially smiling so it failed.

They smiled and came over to help me. It was a big bedroom that Aiden and Nate shared. Shane's and Jason's bedroom were right above us. There was a fire pole here if they wanted to reach us, or downstairs. And then there was the elevator and stairs. Lots of options for transprotation for one house, don't you think?

I went to Nate's closet, searching for the sleeping bag I kept in here. "So, what was the mission today, Nate?"

He went into the bathroom to change. "L.A. Some celebrity fashion designer got kidnapped," he said from behind the door.

"Ah," I replied as I stood up, pretending to be interested. This was old news. Once Nate came out in his shirt and flannel pants, I grabbed my pj's and went into the bathroom, changing as well. You could say I practically lived here with my best friend, except we weren't married. Haha.

"I wanna go on a mission with you guys," Aiden said out of the blue, jumping into his bed across the room.

"One day," Nate responded, turning on the TV with the remote control.

I nodded in agreement, walking out and into my sleeping bag. "Nate's right, Aiden. You'll be a spy once Mr. G says you're old enough. You'll be an official member of G.R.A.Y."

Aiden laughed. "You should join too, Ash! Then we'll all be a spy squad."

Nate scoffed at Aiden's suggestion. "She can't join. She's a girl," Nate said cockly.

I shot up form my sleeping bag and came face to face with Nate lying in hid bed. "Excuse me Mr. Big Shot?"

Nate shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, it's just that the spy business is usually a guy thing, you know?"

"Oh I'll show you a guy thing or two-"

"Nuh-uh-uh. Aiden's waitching," Nate said in a singing voice before I could do anything violent.

I glared at the smriking Nate, loweing my balled up fst. Instead I shoved him off the bed. Aiden started laughing his head off while I wore a satisfied grin. "You're lucky your little brother was in the room. I would have tickled you instead."

"You should have tickled him!" Aiden shouted smiling.

"Ah see he has the mind of a good spy already! Thinks about how torture the prisoners," I said enthusiastically, climbing over the bed and helping Nate back up.

"Haha, funny," Nate said.

I narrowed my eyes, getting back inside my sleeping bag. "Aren't there any women spies in your dad's corp?"

"Well, I guess. Not a lot, though. Girls these days aren't good enough material to go out on daily dangerous missions," Nate explained, getting back inside his bed.

I sat up, obviously irritated. But hey, he was my best friend. "You do know there _are_ women police officers and that there are women in the army. Women can do anything men can do."

"I know. _Women_ can. Girls can't."

"Have a point in there somewhere, Einstein?"

"Yeah, G.R.A.Y stands for Government Run Agent Youths; note the 'Youths' in the end, as in teen spies, not adults."

"Then there's gotta be _teen_ girl spies somewhere."

"Yeeeaaah not really," Nate said, laying in his bed.

I pouted. "You can be so cruel sometimes."

"And proud of it," Nate yawned, turning off the lamp.

I sighed and layed down in my sleeping bag. "Just be lucky I'm even keeping your secret," I muttered, but he heard me though.

Nate laughed, before dozing onto into sleep like me. I remembered when I first found out Nate and his whole family were spies. It all started when we were 12...

_I was at the Gray household again. I was dropping off Nate's homework since he was absent, again.  
"Hello," I said as the elevator door opened.  
Nate looked at me from his computer chair in surprise. "Ash, what are you doing here?"  
I walked out, dropping a bunch of books down on his bed. "Needed to drop of your homework. You missed a lot this week being sick. I'm lucky your dad actually let me in this time."  
Nate laughed nervously. "Hehe, yeah."  
I looked suspiciously at him and felt his forehead, catching him off guard.  
"H-Hey, what are you doing?" he asked, jumping in his seat. I couldn't see the blush on his face as my hand touched his forehead.  
I made a face. "You don't feel sick." My other hand rested on my hip. "Don't sound sick either. "  
He shrugged. "Well maybe I got better over the course of the day. Awesome right? That medicine's good stuff!" he said with hand movements.  
I chuckled and crossed my arms. "Right. Nate I can tell when you're hiding something."  
"And how may I ask?"  
"I'm your best friend. I've inherited the skill when we signed that friends forever contract in kindergarden."  
Nate laughed, remembering that. "Yeah. And?"  
I made a face, telling him that he should just spill the beans now.  
He sighed, turning his chair around so he wasn't facing me. "Alright, I'll tell you why I've been absent all this week. But you have to promise you won't tell anyone."  
I held up my hands. "Cross my heart and hope to die... Whatever that means."  
Nate breathed in a deep breath again, turning hsi chair back around so he was looking at me. "Ok, here goes... I'm-"  
"NOO!" yelled the voice from upstairs as a pillow flew in from the fire pole in the ceiling, which was from Shane's and Jason's room. The pillow flew into Nate's face as I jumped.  
"Gosh am I the only clueless one here?" I asked, surprised by the sudden attack.  
Nate threw the pillow at his bed. "Guys! I've gotta tell Ash-"  
Shane and Jason slid down and immediately covered Nate's mouth, startling me.  
"No man, don't give in to the pressure!" Joe said dramatically as if this depended on his whole life.  
Jason rolled his eyes, his hand over Nate's mouth like Shane's was. "This is why I don't have girl best friends, they see right through you."  
"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, starring at them as if they were crazy.  
"Sorry Ash, this is one thing Nate can't share," Shane said with a smug grin.  
I laughed. "Oh yeah?"  
"Yeeaah!" Shane said, as if claiming victory.  
"They're spies," Aiden said from upstairs, sticking his head down from the fire pole hole.  
My eyes widened and I starred at the youngest Gray in bewilderment as Jason slapped his forehead. I would have thought little 4 year old Aiden was kidding, but something told me he wasn't._

From then on, I knew. And I had seriously promised to keep it all a secret. Nate begged his dad to let me keep the secret otherwise I'd have to have my memory wiped. Mr. Gray says that the cooperation was named G.R.A.Y, after their last name. It was a world wide organization for teen spies, all run by Mr. Gray himself. He says kids 12 and up are eligible. As far as the records go, I'm the only teen who knows the secret of the hidden spy organization, without being a spy myself. But little did I know, my adventure had only begun.


	2. The Beginning Pt2

**CHAPTER 2: The Beginning Pt.2**

I was at my house, typing up a report due Monday. It was Saturday now , the wonderful weekend. My Mom was downstairs making breakfast.  
"Ash! Pancakes!" my mom's young voice rang thorough my room.

I turned off my computer and slid downstairs. "Mm, smells right."

She smiled and handed me a plate and the syrup. "So how was the sleepover with the Grays?" she asked. "Anything weird happen?"

"No more than the usual," I replied, pouring syrup and butter over my pancake. "What time is it now, Mom?"

She looked at her watch. "12:00. Why?"

I pouted at the wall in front of me, putting the syrup down. "Usually the guys would have come over by now." And yes, I don't have breakfast until 12:00 in the afternoon. I wake up early but I don't need the food that fast.

"Maybe they're still asleep. They're boys," my mom siad with an eye roll.

I cracked a smile. "Maybe." Or maybe they were sent on another mission. But this is the weekend. They barely get any missions over the weekend. And if they do, it's during the night so they have the mornings off. See I know how this stuff works.

"You can go over and see them after you're done," Mom said, leaning over my chair. "I know how bored you easily get without those guys."

I smiled. "Yay, thanks Mom." I quickly finished in a few big bites and stormed down the block. Once I turned the corner to the firehouse, I walked in as the door slid shut. I arrived in the living room, seeing it empty. "Hellooo?" I called, hearing my voice echo.

"In here Ashley!" I heard Mr. Gray call from the control room. It was a hidden room only the Grays and me knew about. It was like a techno place with computers for screenings and testings and such, spy stuff. I banged on the wall three times and a secret door appeared in the wall. I walked through and it shut closed behind me.

"Hi Aiden, Mr. G," I said, the dark room filled with numerous lighst from the computers and monitors. "What's going on?"

"Spy stuff," Aiden answered, standing behind the chair of where his dad was sitting.

"You know where the guys are?" I asked, looking around at all of the monitors. "We agreed we'd meet up at my house after they had breakfast."

Mr. Gray nodded. "Yeah. I sent them on a sudden mission right after you left. Sorry."

I made a face. "Talk about bad timing. What's so important about this mission they had to go on a Saturday?"

"Some of my other spies were on a case in Denver, Colorado. Apparently there's been recent reports of missing persons around the area, mostly males."

"What? No female prisoners?"

"Well as we know the normal world, there are reports of missing people in both genders all the time, but in this case, it's males. And I've lost contact with my spies, so I sent my sons, since it was too short notice to send anyone else."

"And?"

"It seems I've lost contact with them as well," Mr. Gray concluded as he turned around in his chair.

My eyes widened. I mean, the guys have went on missions before, but I was never worried. Well, I was worried during the first week I found out the secret, but I came to the idea they were such great spies they never really faced any real danger. But now, I was getting that feeling back. Especially with Nate since he was my best friend.

"Are they okay?" Aiden asked worryingly.

Mr. Gray looked down thinking, his chin in his hand. "I don't know. I've got their location pinned down, but I don't know who to send."

"Send me," I said bluntly. Both starred at me, surprised. "What?" I asked.

"Are you sure about this?" Mr. Gray asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I've got experience. I can fight. And I'm a quick thinker, as bad as my grades get."

Aiden nodded, looking back at his dad. "It's true. She's smart."

Mr. Gray continued pondering. "After a small test, I'll see where it gets form that."

Aiden and I grinned. "So what's the first test?" I asked.

"Intelligence," he said, pressing a button.

A slot opened up in the ceiling as something fell down. I caught it with an arch of my eyebrows. "A rubix cube?"

He nodded, pressing another button, opening another slot and making a timer rise up from the table. "Let's see how fast you can solve it."

Aiden starred at my hands as I smirked. Mr. Gray started the timer as I got to work.

"Done," I said after a short ammount of time, each color on it's own side.

Aiden's eyes widened, starring at the rubix cube. "Whoa."

"13 seconds flat," Mr. Gray said impressed, starring at the timer in bewilderment.

I smirked. I've always had a knack for puzzles. Now that I passed the intelligence test, now for the psychical test.

--

"Hiiyyyaaa!" I said, using my arm and chopping a cardboard paper-towel tube in half, Aiden holding it since he found it in the recycle bin. He grinned as Mr. Gray shook his head embarrassingly.

--

"Run run run run run run!" I said to myself as I ran down the long hallway, behind me a giant boulder, gaining speed.

Aiden and Mr. Gray watched from the railings.

"She does know that the boulder's plastic, right?" Aiden said.

Mr. Gray laughed and wrote things down in a clipboard as he continued watching me run, seeing my speed.

--

"Hiiiyaa!" I said as my hand crashed down on a wooden board that Mr. Gray was holding. He smiled as Aiden gave me a thumbs up with a grin.

--

"Come on Ash!" Aiden cheered as I swung from swing to swing, dozens of feet in the air. It was like being an acrobat, without the net at the bottom. Well, it was there invisibly, but I wasn't supposed to know that, so that I would experience what it was like to actually be this high without protection.

"Ah!" I said, almost missing the swing. "Keep hold, keep hold."

"Phew," Aiden said, leaning back, only for his back to press a button.

My eyes widened as I heard repetitive beeping. And before I knew it, a large fan came from the wall and blew. It was like a hurricane!

Mr. Gray turned around at Aiden. He looked behind him and saw the large red button saying 'FAN'. Aiden laughed nervously and scratched his head. "Hehe, sorry."

"TURN! IT! OFF!" I shouted, holding on for dear life with my hands.

--

"HIIYYA!" I shouted, breaking a metal pipe in half.

Aiden jumped as water started leaking out of the pipe. We heard a cough in the back round and saw Mr. Gray, tapping his foot. We were in the bathroom, and I had broken one of the pipes. We both grinned nervously. "Hehe."

--

I ran through the room, jumping and leaning, dodging the red laser beams. They'd set of the alarm if I touched one. And there were a lot.

"Almost there, Ashley," Mr. Gray said over the loud speaker.

"Good," I whispered as I made a flip, landing in an odd position to make sure I didn't touch the red beam under my back. Suddenly, my cellphone started ringing, which was loud since there was udder silence in the entire room. I screamed and lost balance, falling on the red beam. A small red siren went off as Aiden slapped his forehead.

--

"HIIIIIYYYYYAAAAA!" I shouted and I put all of my strength into my first, my next target being a picture of the school's head cheerleader, Sharmane Prally. So this got my energy flowing, since Aiden was holding it right in front of me.

Aiden shut his eyes as he made that grin, the sound of my punch landing on the glass covering the photo.

Mr. Gray starred in bewilderment. Not because Aiden's idea worked, but because my fist went right through the marble floor I was standing on. Forget the photo.

I blinked, my hand stuck inside.

"Uhhh..." Aiden said, holding a piece of the broken photo frame.

Mr. Gray smiled. "Ashley, I think you're ready for your first mission."

"And, ugh, what would, ugh, that be?" I asked, holding my wrist and trying to pry it out of the ground.

He wrote some stuff down on his clipboard. "You're gonna go save my sons."

I was looking myself in the mirror. I had on tight black pants, knee high black boots that were high heeled, and a tight black shirt. As for accessories, I had black fingerless gloves and a black vest over my shirt. My utility belt had all of my gadgets.

"Alright, you all set, Ashley?" Mr. Gray said, walking into the room.

I saluted. "Yup. Got all my gadgets."

He nodded. "Ok, the jet's up on the roof."

"Ok," I answered simply, ready for my mission. "What about my mom?""

"Eh she'll be fine," Mr. Gray said with a laugh. "Got your communicator earrings?"

I clicked on my earring, hearing it beep. "Check."

"Jet powered heels?"

I tapped my left foot. "Check."

"Navigation watch?"

I looked at my left wrist, seeing the time: 3:00PM. "Check."

"Belt?"

I looked at my waist, seeing my silver utility belt. "And check."

"You're all set."

I pressed a button on my watch as my outfit disappeared, own clothes returning. I still didn't know how a simple watch could change your outfit, but I didn't have time to worry about that. "You'll be in the control room, right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have _another_ parent conference with Ms. Autumn about the boys' absences."

"Oh," Aiden and I said with a face. It was like a little kid having to go to their parents after getting into trouble.

He smiled. "You just worry about finding the boys, Ashely. Aiden will be in the control room in my place."

"Good luck Ash!" Aiden said as I went into the elevator.

I smiled as the door closed, taking me to the roof of the fire house where I'd find a jet to fly me off. I was going to Denver Colorado, to rescue my best friends from who knows what. Finally something exciting.


	3. The Beginning Pt3

**CHAPTER 3: The Beginning Pt.3**

I walked around the new city of Denver, Colorado. It was 5:00PM right now. And I blended in perfectly. I was a normal 14-year old, in jeans, a multi-colored tight sweater, and my trademark hat with ears. I always loved hats with cat ears. They just seemed cute to me, so you could find a whole store of them in my closet.

As I walked the streets, I noticed a lot of shops, and shoppers. All women. Barely any males in sight. Even weirder.

"Aaccording to Mr. G's info, they should be..." I looked up, a blank look on my face. I was in front of a unisex salon. I blinked. "I've got the right address, don't I?" I said to myself quizically.

"Yup," Aiden said from my earring, kind of scaring me. Hard to believe a little metal thing could be a communicator. Where's the microphone for me anyway?

"Well, I'm going in," I said as if walking into a volcano. To anyone else, it would have looked like I was talking to myself.

The bell rung as I opened the door, peeking inside. I saw a bunch of women scrambling around, tending to the customers needs. It was strange, the place looked like a the gym from school, yet only women and girls were here. I would have thought with a place as big as this, there'd be guys too. Oh well, I guess guys don't like going into salons these days. Could be just me.

"Hello!" greeted a woman, somewhat spooking me.

"Um, hi?" I said, a little unsure.

She just gave me her wide plastic smile that would make children who could see personalities cry. "Are you were for an appointment?"

I had no idea what that meant. I needed an appointment? "Uh... just getting a haircut?"

"Ooooh! Splendid!" she cheered, clasping her hands. "Right this way to the waiting room!"

She rushed me to the back of the salon and into a small room, where there were a few women sitting in seats. I was about to sit in the first seat I saw, which was right to my left, but the woman suddenly pulled me away from it, pushing me into the seat next to it. "Don't sit there, it's broken." she said happily, almost scary. As she shut the door, some women were called out for whatever they came here for. Eventually, I was the last one here.

I checked my watch. 5:38PM. "Jeez, no sign of the guys anywhere."

"According to Dad, all the spies have tracking devices on them. Jason, Shane, and Nate are right near you," Aiden said from my earring.

I looked around the rather small room. "It's just a sorry excuse for a waiting room. No one's here. And in the salon, it's all girls and pink and frills. I've got nothing against pink but this is just creepy."

"Nate taught me that in being a spy, one of the important skills you must have is to think outside the box," Aiden stated.

I made a small laugh. "Even as a kid Nate used to say stuff like that to me," I told, remembering all the times he told me that in the past. "I guess that's how I became so random."

"Then try using that in the mission," Aiden's voice said. "Maybe you're not looking hard enough."

Aiden was right. Gosh for a 7-year old, he was pretty smart. I stood up and looked around the room. the walls seemed fine, and nothing wrong with the plants, except that they were plastic and fake. I was about to give up and I plunged into the left seat by the door. Then I heard a faint beep and the next thing I knew, I fell through a trap door. When the lady said not to sit in the chair, she sure meant it.

"AHHHH!" I screamed, falling down to who knows where. Then I remembered, I had to be a quick thinker. An I did just that, I pressed a small button on my shoes and activated my jet powered high heel boots. I stopped falling and felt around me. It was a metal tunnel. I narrowed my eyes, keeping note of it in my mind. I looked down, seeing endless darkness. I flew down slowly and poked my head through upside down, making sure I was hidden. It led to a basement kinda place. And my eyes widened. It was like a prison cell.

All the people down here were men. It was like a slave factory. Was this where all of the guys at the salon were heading too? And this gets weirder by the minute.

"AHHH!" yelled a guy's voice who fell through the tunnel. I watched him plow onto the ground.

My eye winced. "Ow, now that's gotta hurt."

"Ah, another one," said a voice from the shadows.

"Hey, where am I?" the poor soul said, looking around frantically.

I heard a snap of fingers. "Take him away into the cellars."

Two girls in the uniforms from the salon came into the light as they dragged away the guy, begging them not to hurt them.

"Hey Aiden, the guys' signal still there?"

"Crystal," he answered through my earring.

I nodded and went back right side up. I pressed a button on my watch and my clothing changed, for my first disguise. With my hair already short, I just needed a clothing change and I'd disguise as a guy. My chest wasn't that big, so no one would notice, at least in my opinion. But once I had changed, I got rid of my boots, my _jet_ boots, which kept me in the air.

I blinked, starring at nothing. "Uh-oh." I began screaming as I fell to the ground. At least it wasn't as hard, since the falling wasn't as long as it was supposed to be.

"My my, how quick," said the voice.

I lifted my head, pretended that fall weakened me. "Who's there?"

"Take the low life away if you please."

"Yes Madame Holtz," said two women, who began dragging me away. As I was dragged on my knees, I saw a bunch of men in cellars, old and young.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, not really expected an answer.

One of the girls scoffed. "Boys are stupid, thinking they know everything."

"Yeah, if anything, it's girls. You guys are always so stubborn, and weird while I'm at it."

I glared. I guess not only the salon has this 'men prison'. Must be all over the city. And I bet that Madame Holtz lady's in charge.... Wow how weird.

A cellar door opened and I was thrown in, quite roughly might I add. For such defenceless looking girls, they were strong.

"Ow," I groaned, rubbing my head.

"You alright, man?" asked a familiar voice.

I looked up and saw Shane. My eyes widened, but I kept my cool, remembering I was still in disguise. "Um, I-I guess."

Shane laughed. "Don't worry. We all got confused when we landed here." He helped me stand up. In this cellar, there were a bunch of other guys. I saw Nate and Jason in the corner. "Hey guys!" Shane called. "We got a new one!"

I starred at Shane like he was crazy. He was acting as if he were in jail for a couple of months instead of a couple of hours. Well, at least no one payed any attention to us when Shane shouted.

"Hey is that an earring?" Shane asked, looking at my ear.

"I, uh, um, yeah?" I answered. Hopefully they wouldn't recognize me. I mean, come on, some guys wear ear rings.

Nate made a face. "Hey, that's one of the G.R.A.Y communicator earrings. You a spy?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Shane grinned and punched the air. "Sweet! Now we can bust outta here!"

Jason laughed. "So Ash, how'd you get in here?"

I smiled. "Not too difficult. I'm doing way better than you three are, that's for sure."

Shane and Nate did a double take at me. "Ash??"

"Gosh, Jason's like the only one with brains in the group," I said as the two gaped.

"But, you, how, why," Shane stammered.

I laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Chill. I still got my gadgets. I'll bust us outta of here in no time."

It was Nate's turn to laugh. "_You_? You mean our dad gave _you_ equipment?"

"That's right."

"Well, that must mean you got the girl weapons. Those are, like, useless," he continued.

I kept an emotionless face at Nate. "I think I'm beginning to agree with that Madame lady. Want me to bust you outta here or don't you."

"Yes please," Shane said, pushing to to the front. "Now what's the plan?"

I assumed my thinking position. "Alright, I'm gonna bust out of here first, so make sure to keep all the guys in the cellar in here, it's safer. Once you do that, you follow my lead and we'll take down Madame Holtz and her cronies."

"No way I'm taking orders from a girl," Nate said with a smug smile.

I felt _really_ disppointed in this dude right now. "Fine, take orders from your best friend," I said back. I took out my lipstick from my pocket and walked to the bars of the cellar.

Nate looked at my back. "Lipstick?"

I smirked. "I don't know what this does, but if I have it as a gadget, it must be good." I pressed a button and it shot a hot laser. I began melting part of the bars as the guys starred at me in surprise.

"Okay I didn't know the lipstick did that," Jason said.

"That's because it's a _girl_ gadget," I said mockingly as I turned it off. Pushing the bars to the side, I jumped out, the guys watching as more women appeared, like clones.

I blinked, starring at all the people I'd have to fight. "... Wow."

My ears picked up a sound, clapping from a distance. A woman looking like a spoiled model came forth. My guess, Madame Holtz. "Charming. Too bad you're not a woman. You'd make a fine addition to my army." She smirked. "No matter. Eliminate him!"

My eyes widened as the army of salonists charged towards me. I didn't have an intention of fighting, but I resulted to it quite easily. Nate, Shane, and Jason watched as I fought like a black belt.

"Since when can she do that?" Jason whispered quickly.

"I don't know," Nate replied, just as surprised.

"You guys sure Ash's a girl?" Shane said idiotically, making the two brothers glance down at him.

I landed on my feet, dodging another punch. "Don't just stand there!! Do something!!"

The three ran out and began to help fight with me. I pressed my watch and I changed into my spy outfit. It was easier for me to fight in. Unfortunately, there were too many of them, and the four of us had our hands behind our backs, like prisoners getting their sentence at a court.

"Wow, you _are _a girl," Madame Holtz said. "No wonder you're so excellent."

"So? Who cares. The guys are just as good. Don't see why you have to lock 'em all up."

"Take that curly haired boy for example," she said pacing, making me look at Nate. "He underestimated you, all because you were a girl."

"Well of course. He's a guy. They're idiots."

"Hey," the three said, looking at me.

I laughed and closed my eyes. "That's why I'm friends with them. In my own way, I can be an idiot to guy stuff they way they're idiots to girl stuff. And unlike _you_, I can actually tolerate that."

She grimaced. "You, you're no better than those, those, boys," she said in disgust.

"Aren't you guys gonna do anything?" I asked, turning to Jason, Shane, and Nate.

"What? We were taught not to hit girls," Nate said.

I shook my head. "How you guys never wound up in a bad situation for three years I'll never know." I threw the person holding me and knocked her into the ones holding the guys. We ran loose as the army returned. "Guys!! Stall while I get Holtz!"

The obeyed as I ran upwards. She began running along the rails as I followed. For a girly boy-hater, she was fast. She picked up a crate and pushed it at me. I jumped out of the way, but I ended at the edge of the railing. She was in front of me, ready to push me off. And it was a long way down.

"No where to run, little spy."

I glared, but she pushed me. I screamed from the shock as I fell, only to be caught from a person swinging on a chain like Tarzan. We landed on the railing on the opposite side of the room. I reopened my eyes. "Nate?"

He smiled, letting go of the chain. "Spies can't do everything alone you know."

I smiled, only to hear doors and window break. It was the rest of the spies from G.R.A.Y, probably sent by Aiden back from home. Now that I found them, he sent the spies to our location to arrest Madame Holtz and her cronies.

--

"I'll be back! This won't be the last you'll hear from me!" she shouted before the police car door closed.

I smiled, watching this under the night sky. "Wow, what a typical day. I sneak, fight, arrest the bad guy. Guess it _is_ easy."

Nate smiled, his arm around my shoulders. "Told ya."

I laughed, rolling my eyes.

"Thanks for coming, Ash," Shane spoke up, turning hsi head. "We thought we were goners."

"Yeah, that Madame Holtz lady is scary, wanting females to rule the world. Can you believe it?" Jason said with a laugh.

I shrugged. "Eh, I guess you're right. She's crazy."

Nate looked at me. "You know Ash, I thought you were gonna side with her for a moment, with after that little argument last night we had."

I smiled. "Yeah, but I think my friends and half the world's population matters more than for me to have revenge against you, Nate."

"Ah, wise worlds," Jason said.

"Nah, I got it from a fortune cookie," I said.

Shane gave me a weird look. "What fortune cookie says that?"

"The one I made up," I answered, making us all laugh.

--

"She is?"

"She is?"

"She is?"

"I am?"

Mr. Gray nodded. "Yes. You should be proud of yourself, Ashley. You've rescued my sons, not to mention passed all those tests. I think you have what it takes to actually become an official member of G.R.A.Y."

"Wow I can't believe it," I said, overflowing with happiness inside, which was kept hidden pretty well.

"What about her school work though?" Jason asked.

I scoffed. "Like I need that. I'm smart enough already."

Nat rolled his eyes. "You become a spy and you think you know everything. Don't get too cocky now."

I glared and smacked his arm. "Idiot."

Mr. Gray laughed. "School's gonna be fine. As for your mom, you think you can handle her?"

I shrugged, laying my head on Nate's shoulder with a yawn. "I think I can. I'm good with that."

Shane looked at me. "Someone sounds sleepy."

"Well I had to go through training and my first mission all in one afternoon. It can take a lot out of a girl you know."

Nate smiled and layed back, bring me with him so my head was on his chest. "Good, then that makes two of us."

Aiden laughed. "They look like they're together," he whispered.

"Don't tell me you just realized that now," Shane said.

Jason rolled his eyes. "We're gonna go to sleep in our bedrooms. You guys coming?"

Nate yawned, shaking his head no. "Too tired."

"We'll just stay here," I added sleepily, my eyes already closed.

Mr. Gray nodded. "Alright. Night kids. Good work."

Good nights rang throughout the room as the lights went out. Wow, I'm a spy from G.R.A.Y now. What on earth have I gotten myself into?

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"What happened? It's like they're acting like cats," I said confusingly._

_"That's why I'm sending you four," Mr. Gray said. "You up for it?"_

_"Duh we are! We're going to France!!" Shane shouted like a little kid._

_--_

_"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked Nate as I turned off my blow dryer._

_"Couldn't feel any better," he responded. It wasn't convincing me though._

_--_

_I sighed and turned around so I was facing him. "Fine, but this is a one time thing, Nate."_

_"Thank you," he said, making me smile and close my eyes. I drifted to sleep with the sounds of us breathing and the feeling of Nate's fingers playing with my hair. Hm, maybe come good can come out of this after all._


	4. Cat Got Your Tongue Pt1

_When strange, cat-related happenings occour in France, Kevin, Joe, and Nick have their first mission with Ash as their fourth teammate. Meanwhile, Ash 'competes' with Sharmane, the school's snobby popular, for Nick's attention for the dance._

* * *

**Chapter 4: Cat Got Your Tongue Pt.1**

DING DING DING

Classrooms emptied out as Nate and I went out of science.

"Ugh, I hate that chapter," I groaned, holding my head with my hand.

"Yup," Nate agreed awkwardly. We just learned about the functions of a female body. And because of that, we saw a picture of a naked female in the textbook. Me, along with every other girl in the classroom, just went 'noooooo' inside our heads. As for guys, I couldn't tell whether they liked it, being the pervs they are, or were just downright awkward, like Nate here. You would have thought we'd be used to this by now, being in high school. Yeah not really.

"Hey guys!" Shane called, running to us and coming in between us, his arms around our necks.

"What got you so happy?" Nate asked.

Jason laughed, walking to us. "He got an A on his history test."

"And I am so relieved," Sane added with a sigh.

I laughed. "To me, history seems just about right after what Nate and I went through in science."

Jason made a face. "What happened?"

"Don't ask," Nate and I said at the same time.

"Hey, at least there's always the dance to look forward to next week," Shane said, still inbetween Nate and I.

"Hey guys," said a girly voice.

We all looked up, seeing the cheerleaders pass by, all being led by Sharmane Prally. _She _was the one that would give cheerleaders a bad name. I had nothing against cheerleaders, just Sharmane. Remember that photo I smashed during practice? You can guess I wasn't a big fan of hers, unlike-

"Hi Sharmane," the guys stuttered, starring her way in a daze.

She winked at them but glared at me. I glared back at her as they walked away. "I don't know what you guys see in her."

"She's hot," the three said at the same time.

I rolled my eyes. "Riiight."

"You're just saying that because you're a girl, Ash. Unlike us guys, we like to jump at the chances we get when a girl comes by," Nate explained.

I gave him a look. "If you wanted to jump at the chance, you would have done something back in September. It's October now."

"Hey, the only reason we're waiting is because all three of us like her," Shane said for Nate. "And we're just waiting to see who's gonna make the first move-"

"Since you're all too chicken to actually _make _a move," I finished.

Shane was about to respond but then answered. "... Yeah."

Jason and Nate glared at him, making me laugh. Suddenly, I heard beeping. I looked at my watch, as well as the guys looking at their's.

"Weird," I said, seeing the G.R.A.Y symbol on the tiny monitor. "What's that mean?"

"We got a mission," Nate answered, putting his hand back down.

I made a face. "And how are we supposed to get out of here? I'm usually the person who sneaks you out and lies to the teachers."

"We can always go with plan B," Shane said.

Jason and Nate groaned, me blinking in confusement. "What's plan B?" I asked.

Shane smirked with his arms crossed. "It was how me and the guys sneaked out on our first mission from school. If it works once, it can work again."

"No it won't," Jason and Nate said.

I laughed. "Oh come on guys, the plan can't be that stupid."

**--**

"This is so stupid" I said, my hand resting on one of my cat ears on my hat. In front of us were four cardboard cut outs of me, Shane, Jason, and Nate.

"Told you," Nate grumbled.

"Let's just get out of here," Jason said, pushing us all down the hall. We arrived outside and ran back to the house.

"You called?" Nate said as we ran to the living room.

"Yup," Mr. Gray said. Aiden was probably still at school. "You've got another mission."

"We thought so," Jason said.

He turned around towards us. "According to my info in Marseille, France, famous Chef Pierre Giovari resides there."

"And?" Shane asked.

"He's been working on a special recipe for a new soup. Apparently, someone stole the recipe and is using it as their own."

"Shouldn't this be something for the police though?" I asked. "I mean, it's just a stolen soup recipe."

"Yes, but there's been records of people eating the soup and winding up... different."

"And what exactly is..._different_?" Shane asked confused.

Mr. Gray pressed a button on a remote and a large TV screen appeared from the ceiling, dropping down. It showed videos of people acting, as Mr. Gray says, different. And when he says different, he means different. One showed a young girl with extra sharp nails, clawing at a tree. Another showed a fully grown business men chasing dogs on all fours. Another showed an elderly woman licking her hand. And so on and so forth.

"... Ok that was disturbing," Jason said after the TV screen shut off.

"I'll have to agree with you," I said. "What happened? It's like they're acting like cats."

"That's why I'm sending you four," he said. "You up for it?"

"Duh we are! We're going to France!" Shane said like a little kid.

Jason laughed. "Calm down, Joe. It's for a mission."

Nate turned to me. "Aren't you excited to be going to France? It's like every girl's dream."

I shrugged. "I'm just in it for the mission. Not like I have the money to buy stuff there."

We went into the elevator and up to the roof for the G.R.A.Y private jet, heading to Marseilla France.

--

I breathed in the air. "Ah, this feels so good for some reason."

"Maybe because we're in the place where French Fries were invented," Shane said next to me.

Jason laughed. "You two can be so random sometimes."

"You do know they take that as a compliment right?" Nate said to Jason.

"So where are we supposed to go?" I asked.

"My guess is to see that Chef Pierre guy," Nate told me, looking at his watch. "Come on, follow me." He grabbed my hand and we started running, Shane and Jason right behind us. I was smiling the whole way, looking around me. I was definitely amazed by the new country.

"Enjoying yourself I see," Nate said as we ran.

My other hand held my hat to keep it form flying off, with how fast we were going. "Of course I am. It must be great to go to so many different and new places on a daily basis."

"Yeah, especially here."

I looked at him. "Why? Because it's another country?"

"Nope," Nate said, "Because I have my best friend with me."

I felt a small blush on my face as we picked up speed, but I smiled nonetheless. "Thanks," I said in a barely audible whisper.

We made it to a restaurant, and were currently with the chef himself. "Thanks for coming," he said with a French accent. "My name is Chef Pierre Giovari. How may I serve you today?"

Jason nodded. "We're sent from G.R.A.Y, for the case of your missing recipe."

His head jumped. "Ah, you guys are quick. Come come come." He rushed us to the back in his kitchen as he shut the door. I looked around the metallic kitchen, admiring just about everything.

"Snail?" Pierre asked as I turned around.

I felt myself grow green in the face. "Um, no thanks."

"So what seems to be the problem?" Shane asked, needing all the information we could get our hands on.

"As you probably know, someone stole my recipe," Pierre said, stating the obvious.

"You know anyone who'd want to steal it?" Jason asked.

"It's my rival, Chef Denniell Rosse. That not good stealing weasel."

Nate nodded. "You know where we can find him?"

"His restaurant downtown."

I smiled. "Thanks for the info. We'll get back to you."

--

We went downtown like Pierre had said and found a fancy looking restaurant. The minute we peeked in, a waiter grabbed us and threw us into a booth, menus being thrown in front of us like flying knives.

"Welcome," the waiter said as we all tried to recover from the suddenness. Would you believe me if I said we ended up from the door to a table with menus in under five seconds?

"Um, thank you?" I said, being the first to recover.

"Would you like to try our soup special for an appetizer?"

"No-"

I stuck a piece of bread in Nate's mouth before he could finish. "Yes please."

The waiter nodded and walked away. Shane and Jason starred at me across the small table as Nate got the bread out of his mouth. "What'd you do that for?!"

"Hello? We're already in the restaurant of the stealer. All we need is the soup so we can get a sample of it. Maybe we can find out why it's making people act so weird," I explained.

Jason blinked. "Wow, she catches on fast for a beginner spy."

I flashed my trademark grin as the soup appeared in front of us.

"Enjoy your meal," he said with a smug look, walking away.

Nate and starred down at our soup. "It looks as normal as any other soup."

"... Now what?" Shane asked, stirring the soup with his spoon.

Nate took something out of his pocket, like a cellphone.

"Who are you calling at a time like this?" I asked him.

"I'm not calling anyone," he said opening it. My head jumped, seeing a monitor and a bunch of tiny buttons. Didn't look like any old cellphone I've ever seen. A small piece of paper came out of it and Nate took it, dipping it into the soup. Then he placed it on a small flat surface on the monitor as a light processed it.

"Wow," I said, looking over his shoulder.

Nate nodded. "Yeah." He shut his cellphone. "Ok, we got the sample. Now we're gotta get out of here."

"But we can't just leave," Jason interjected. "People might get suspicious of us."

"AHHH!" yelled a high pithead scream. A bunch of dogs ran into the restaurant, causing a panic. Me and the guys watched as waiters tripped and fell, food flying everywhere. A dog made a waitress fall onto our table, causing our soup to spill. However, one of the bowls flew up. And you know the saying, what comes up must come down. It came down alright. The bown landed on Nate's head, all of the soup spiling down on him.

Jason's and Shane's jaws dropped, not knowing whether to laugh or be just plain scared.

My eyes widened and my hands flew to my mouth. Part of me had an urge to laugh while the other was filled with worry. "Nate you alright?" I asked, lifting the bowl so I could see his eyes.

Nate brought his hand up and lifted some of his hair that got over his eyes. "I've been through worse."

Gosh, spy missions were just as random as my old life.


	5. Cat Got Your Tongue Pt2

Me and the guys were in a hotel room we rented for the night. I could only hope that Mr. Gray came up with an excuse for my Mom if she went looking for me. But knowing her, she wouldn't mind me staying out at night, since when I did stay out at night, I was with Nate, Shane, or Jason, which she approved off.

Jason was on his labtop, waiting for the results from the sample that Nate got on his phone scanner. Shane was in the bathroom dressing up from his shower.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked Nate as I turned off my blow dryer.

"Couldn't feel any better," he responded.

"Ash might have a point though," Jason said, looking up from his labtop. "I mean, that soup bowl landed right on your head. Maybe you got some bump or something we should have checked out."

"I assure you guys I'm not hurt," Nate said. "Let's just talk about something else."

"Like the dance!" Shane yelled from inside the bathroom.

I mentally groaned. Why Shane why do you hate me so?

"Who's gonna ask Sharmane out first?" Shane asked. Remind me to hit him later.

"I think I'm gonna go to the kitchen," I said, not wanting to talk about the top 10 hottest girls in school, me not being one of those girls girl and them being... guys.

As I stood up, Shane came out of the bathroom, wearing jeans and a shirt, his hair still wet. He shook his head like a dog, getting us wet for fun. I laughed, using my hand to shield myself. Though Nate jumped like a reflex, knocking me over. Shane and Jason looked at us.

"What the," I said, seeing Nate on top of me. "Dude get off," I said throwing him off me with a thud.

"What was that?" Shane asked laughing.

I got up and picked my cat ear hat, placing it back on my head. "I don't know. Ask Nate here."

Nate sat up, rubbing his head. "Sorry Ash, don't know what came over me."

"Ash, come here," Jason said, looking at his labtop.

I looked at Shane who shrugged and I went over to the bed, sitting beside Jason. "What's up?"

"Look at this," Jaso said as various things appeared on the monitor.

"... Okay what am I looking at?"

"The test results form the sample of the soup," Jason answered. "Seems it's mixed with cat DNA."

I made a face. "Soup hold what?"

"It's says it here, Ash. I guess whoever drink the soup sorta get the genes of a cat."

"Well, isn't that a good thing? I mean, they have good reflexes and they're fast."

"Not in this case," Jason said, looking at me. "What are cats afraid of?"

I thought for a moment. "Um, water right?"

"And what just happened now?" Jason asked.

I had a clueless face until my eyes widened, looking from Nate and Shane to Jason, then back and forth. "Oh no, no, don't tell me-"  
Jason shrugged, closing his labtop. "I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Shane asked, walking towards me and jason with Nate.

"Jason says you're a cat," I said bluntly to nate, making Jason shoot me a 'why'd-you-do-that' look.

Nate laughed. "What? That's crazy."

Shane looked around and found a ball of yawn from a basket. He picked it up and threw it, only for Nate to jump after it and land on the ground behind the couch.

I blinked my eyes. "If that doesn't prove it I don't know what else will."

"But how'd he drink the soup?" Shane asked, sitting beside me.

"Maybe he accidentally swallowed some when that bowl fell on him," Jason guessed, opening his labtop again. "I'm gonna send this info to Dad. While we're here, he can try and come up with an antidote for Nate and everyone else."

I yawned, sitting up. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna go to sleep now."

"Good thinking, we need all the energy we can get for tomorrow," Shane said, walking to his bed.

I bent over behind the couch, seeing Nate sleeping on the floor. I smiled. "Come on Nate, wake up. If you're gonna sleep, sleep in your own bed."

"No," he said stubbornly.

I smiled and grabbed the ball of yarn from Nate's grasp, making him sit up like lightning. I started laughing, watching him try to grab it. Why he didn't just stand up to get it, I'll never know. "Wow this is funner than it looks," I said behind the couch.

"Gosh I hate this cat thing," Nate said, still trying to get the yarn.

I rolled my eyes and started to walk away, still holding onto the yarn. I went to the window and threw it out.

Jason and Shane laughed their heads off as Nate starred, then giving me a glare. "Yeah thanks, you just love torturing me don't you Ash."

I laughed and went over to my bed, Nate following. "Nate if you don't want to be a cat, you have to learn to resist and control yourself. Because let me remind you, you may be my best friend, but I'm not feeding you fish and milk for breakfast."

"Haha, very funny," Nate said sarcastically as I climbed into bed. As I turned off the lights, I felt someone climb into the bed behind me. "Nate go get your own bed."

"Nope," he said stubbornly again.

"And why?" I asked, still keeping my back to him.

I felt my hair being played with. "Since you threw the yawn out the window, your hair's the closest thing I have to it."

"What?"

"Don't blame me, blame the cursed cat soup," Nate said, making me laugh.

I sighed and turned around so I was facing him. "Fine, but this is a one time thing, Nate."

"Thank you," he said, making me smile and close my eyes. I drifted to sleep with the sounds of us breathing and the feeling of Nate's fingers playing with my hair. Hm, maybe come good can come out of this cat stuff after all if it's making Nate fall to his knees just because my hair's like yarn. Oh well, I shouldn't be thinking like that. Nate's only my best friend... right?"

--

"Go go go," Jason said, rushing us in through the vents. We were in our black spy outfits. We needed to sneak into the kitchen to get the recipe back, and whatever the thing was turning people part cat. Nate was leading, since he could smell which was we needed to go.

"Is it always this weird on missions?" I asked, crawling behind Nate.

"Not this weird," Shanee said. "For, you know, nate turning part cat."

"JShane," Nate said, getting irritated.

"Sorry," Shane said.

"How much farther?" Jason asked behind Shane in the back.

"Right here," Nate said as we surrounded an opening on the floor. Jason got out this small power tool the size of a pen, and began unscrewing the bolts in the vent.

"You see anything?" Shane asked.

I put on my heat seeking glasses. Looked pretty cool. "One about three or four people."

Nate made a face. "That's pretty early for people to be in. Isn't it like 6:00 in the morning?"

I shrugged and continued looking around.

"We can take them," Jason said. "But we need to be sneaky and fast. Might be cameras down there."

"We can always use the hook to lower one of us," Nate suggested.

"No way," Jason said. "You remember the last time we tried that with Shane."

"I'm telling you it wasn't my fault. It was those stupid seagulls," Shane argued.

"We can just send down Ash then," Natek said. "Hopefully she can concentrate better and not let birds get the best of her."

Shane sent Nate a glare as my eyes widened. "Send me for what?"

"That," Nate said, pointing down.

"Why don't you do it? You're the sneaky cat person!" I whispered loudly.

Jason took out this hook and attached it to my back. "Too late Ash."

I groaned. "I hate being the only girl sometimes."

The guys lowered me slowly and carefully. It was kinda fun I guess, but nerve wrecking all the same. I got out a can from my belt and lit it up. Sleeping Gas. I threw it down and it let go, making all of the people down there cough until they fell. I detached the hook and landed on my feet after the smoke cleared. "It's safe!"

The guys jumped down, nate and Jason landing on the feet. But then Shane fell down, landing on them. I shook my head and helped them up.

"Alright, what are we looking for?" Nate asked, dusting himself off.

"Anything out of the ordinary," Jason answered, looking around.

I pressed a giant red button on the wall. Then the wall spun around, revealing a huge computer wall like from the control room back at the fire house. "... Does this go into the category of out of the ordinary or is this normal too?"

The guys ran to where I was and Jason began doing his work on the computers. I never was good with technology. "I think this is the thing that creates the compoud for the cat DNA that's added into the soup."

"What do you want us to do?" Shane asked.

"Look for anything else out of the ordinary," Jason said, making Nate and Shane scramble. I watched in bewilderment as they practically tore up the entire kitchen. So much for sneaky and quiet. As I looked, I found a chest in the cabinet with a lock. I got out my laser lipstick and broke through the lock, snapping it open. "Got it guys!"

Nate ran over to me and looked at the paper. "Good. We should bring this back to Pierre."

"Not so fast."

We all looked and saw this other chef guy. Daniell Rosse. I groaned. "Figures the bad guy would show up once we got the evidence. It's so typical!"

He laughed. "How right you are, missy. Now, hand it over."

I folded it up and placed it in my pocket. "You'll have to catch me first!"

He ran at me and I began running and flipping all over the place. Shane and Nate tried helping while Jason was still at the computers, doing whatever was supposed to be done at the moment. I was laughing like a maniac as I ran. This was pretty fun.

"GET OVER HERE!" yelled Chef Denniell Rosse. For a chef, he sure was fast to be able to keep with with me.

I smirked. If this guy wanted to turn everyone into cats, there must have been some connection with the mastermind. So I stopped in my tracks and picked up a hose, pointing it. "Don't take another step!"

Danniell, Nate, and Shane froze in their tracks, blinking.

"O-Okay, don't shoot, don't shoot, you can keep my recipe," he said, starting to cower like a cat.

"A-Ash, let me remind you I'm still a victim here," Nate said, just as nervous.

Jasonwas right, I guess some cats are afraid of water. I laughed and turned on the hose. Shane and Nate hit the floor while I squirted Danniell who was shouting and crying to stop. Boy did this feel good. That's what he gets for turning my best friend into a cat! Mission completed.

--

It was lunch period now, me and the guys ordering our lunch in the cafeteria.

"So Ash, you got a date to the dance?" Jason asked.

"You know me, I don't date," I said. I never have, probably never will.

"Well not all of us will have dates," Shane pointed out. "We can all go together, the four of us!"

I shook my head, getting a plastic for and spoon. "No, I'll just stay home. I'm not much of a party person anyway."

The guys starred wide eyed at me as I made my way out the door to our table outside.

"But you can't not come! You know how long we've waited to go to our first high school dance!" Nate said, practically begging me.

I shook my head. "Well, turns out it's not all it's cracked up to be, me finding prince charming so he can sweep me off my feet. A month in high school taught me not everyone can get their happy endings." The guys frowned, but obeyed my decision. "At least your dad was able to make that cat antidote."

Shane and Jason chuckled while Nate gave me a look. We sat down at our usual table and began eating. And guess what, a bunch of guys were crowding around Sharmane, asking her to the dance. Me, Nate, Shane, and Jason were watching.

"How can she just sit there and look so awsome?" Shane sighed out.

I made a face as I drank my milk. "You guys can be such idiots sometimes."

"Jealous?" Nate asked, giving me a vein.

"Don't make me smack you," I said with my eyes closed.

I noticed the guys tense up as Sharmane started walking towards our table. Many other guys shot glares while I rolled my eyes. Jeez. Dramatic much?

"Hey Grays," she said fliteously. "Ashely," she glared.

"Shamane," I said back with just as much hatred.

"And what do we owe for your gracing us with your presence?" Jason asked. Gag me.

She smirked, noticing my anger. "Well I just noticed that you three haven't asked me to the dance yet. I was wondering since I might say yes." She looked to Nate. "Nate especially."

Every single face went towards Nate, except mine. He'd just say yes, so why bother waiting for a response? I kept my chin on my hand, my elbow resting on the table tiredly. I looked upwards towards the sky, trying to forget I was here-

"No thanks," Nate said, making Shane and Jason's mouths hang open, along with almost every other guy. My eyes snapped wide open and I looked at Nate in disbelief. Sharmane was practically asking Nate to the dance and he just said no thanks?

"Excuse me?" she grimaced through her teeth.

Nate shrugged. "I'm gonna be busy that night, can't make it. Sorry."

I could see her trying to pretend it didn't phase her. "Oh no problem Nate. We can always go together to the winter ball. Ciao!" Sharmane walked back to her crowd of boys as me and his brothers starred at Nate.

"Dude what'd you do that for?!" Shane shouted smacking Nate's arm.

"And what are you so busy for you can't make it to the dance?" Jason asked, but not shouting like Shane.

Nate smiled and placed an arm around me. "I wanna stay with Ash so she has some company."

I smiled too. "Aww, that's so sweet. You didn't have to do that though."

"Yeah, but I want to," he said.

"Wow, no wonder you're my best friend."

He laughed. "Yeah, I'm awesome like that."

I hit his arm. "Idiot."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER...._

"HALLOWEEN!" shouted voices throughout my house.

--

"Jason you're smart with this stuff. You know what this is?"

Jason starred at the screen. "Strange, I've never seen anything like that before."

"Then this must be _really_ something," Shane sighed out, still gazing at the screen. If Jason didn't know what it was, no one did.

--

"Wow you've got a lot of stuff in your closet, Nate," Aiden commented.

I threw them each a weapon, them catching their's on reflex. "War time guys, we're going in."

Nate smirked. "I'm beginning to like this Halloween."


	6. A Green Halloween Pt1

_It is Halloween, and Ash is hoping for a normal holiday, compared to her previous Halloweens with the Grays where the boys always have to defeat a bad guy for the sake of their missions. But when Nate and Ash find some abnormalities in town__, it turns into more than just a mission. There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**Chapter 6: A Green Halloween Pt.1**

"HALLOWEEN!" shouted voicesthroughout my house.

I lchuckled as I continued raking the leaves in my backyard, Nate helping me. "This is gonna be a weird Halloween."

"What makes you say that?" Nate asked, placing one of the bags into a trash can. "And don't say because every Halloween's weird."

I laughed and shook my head, pausing in my raking. "I don't know really. But with all this spy stuff, you never know. Remember last year's Halloween? A perfect example of my point."

Nate rolled his eyes. "So we had to track down one guy giving away brain-washing candy. At least we aced it."

I gave him a look. "Uh-huh. Just barely. Then all of the candy we got had to be tested out to make sure they weren't the poisoned ones. I had to wait two whole hours before eating even one piece of gum."

Nate laughed, grabbing another bag for me to rake my leaves into. "Then don't get so much candy next time."

"Whatever, Nate," I groaned out, raking more leaves. "So will you be dressing up this year?"

"You know me and my brothers. We're too old to dress up in costumes."

"You guys are spies and go into disguises on a weekly basis. And you say dressing up on Halloween is childish?"

"Haha, funny" Nate said with no emotion. "And you, Ms. Drame? You never seem to outgrow it."

I shrugged, raking up the rest of the leaves before Nate tied up the bag. "I dunno. Maybe Gothic clothes this year."

Nate smiled. "At least you won't be a witch again."

"What? Witches are cool," I mumbled.

"Well, at least _your_ witch costumes are cool."

"Thank you very much," I grinned, wiping sweat off my forehead, which was weird since it was fall. I took off my cat ear hat and fanned myself. "What about Aiden, the only one man enough to wear costumes?"

Nate laughed. "He's gonna be a surprise, just like every year."

I nodded. "We'll see. Right now all we have to worry about is that it doesn't rain on Halloween."

"Oh yeah, we would all just _die_ if it rained."

I gave him my playful smirk and tried to hit him with my rake. By reflex, he put up his rake and blocked my attack, a bewildered expression on his face from my suddenness. But it quickly went away, being replaced with a smirk of his own. "Oh it's on," he said.

We continued our fight. And it got kinda intense as we started doing flips and other outrageous tricks that we'd only do on missions. But seeing as we were competitive here, this was like our private little mission, hit your opponent with a leaf rake.

"You'll never take me alive!" I shouted like a pirate having a swords fight.

"We'l just see about that!" he said in the same pirate accent, which was a bit unusual and funny at the same time.

We saw my back door open, revealing my mom, Shane, and Jason. But that didn't stop us. They watched as me and Nate have our rake fight, Shane sounding the most excited. "Oooooh! Fight! Fight!"

Jason laughed and shook his head, probably thinking wow. We were supposed to be mature 15-year olds.

"Go Ash! Go Nate!" Shane shouted.

Nate and I ran at each other, having another clash. Instead, both our rakes went up into the air, and we tackled each other, rolling on the ground, trying to pin the other down. By now, Jason had gone to us before we could 'kill' each other. "Alright you guys, match's over."

"Man, I was winning too," I whined, placing my cat ear hat back on my head.

Nate scoffed. "Yeah, you mean _I_ was winning."

Jason sighed, holding his head back. "Here we go again."

"I see they still haven't outgrown this," Mom said with a smile, her arms crossed.

Shane laughed. "Yeah. Knowing them, they'll be fighting until they make up on the next mission."

"Might be a little late there, Shane," Jason said, walking back over to him.

Shane looked over Jason's shoulder and saw me and Nate shaking hands, me wearing a huge grin. "Eh? And what is this?"

I grinned at him. "We made the Treaty of a Dozen Donuts."

Shane made a face. "O...kay... What is that?"

"Nate's gonna take me to Dippin Donuts later," I answered, jumping on Nate's back for a ride, almost knocking him over in the process.

Jason shook his head. "Whatever. You still wants us to help decorate for tomorrow?"

"Duh," I said. "Nate, to my bedroom!"

"What am I, a horse?"

"You are if you want to keep that treaty in line."

Nate sighed and carried me into the house, my mom, Shane, and Jason watching.

--

By now I was in my bedroom with Nate, decorating it. The others were decorating the rest of the house. "You think we'll be having another mission soon?" I asked, hanging up a cobweb at the top corner of my room.

He shrugged, cutting out paper bats for my wall. "Probably. But don't worry too much. If we do, it won't be any different from any other mission we got so far: we go, capture bad guy, we're done."

I sighed, getting down from the stool. "Hope you're right."

--

Today was the big day. Yup, Halloween!

"Trick or treat!" said some kids from the door.

Me and Aiden gave them each candy as they all said thank you and left. "How much candy do we have left?" Aiden asked.

"Well based on what I see," I turned around, seeing a giant mountain of candy in the living room, probably Aiden's own height. "A lot."

Aiden made a face. "Weird how there aren't a lot of people coming here. Usually we have a hundred doorbells with all the candy we give out."

"At least that means more for us," Jason said, sticking a lolly pop into his mouth.

I rolled my eyes, wearing my black clothes that made me look like a modern Gothic teen. "Like we'll eat it all."

"Heads up!!" shouted Shane's voice from upstairs, a huge waterfall of candy falling from the fire pole and onto the candy mountain. "There's my trick-or-treat candy!" he shouted from upstairs.

"You do know we're giving all the candy in that pile away right?" Jason said.

At that moment Shane fell, or dove, from his room and into the candy pile, desperately looking for his candy.

Aiden and I laughed, having some candy thrown at us durring Shane's dive.

"Boo!" Nate shouted from behind me as he threw his arms around my neck from behind.

I yelped seeing him with his vampire fangs. "Gosh Nate don't scare me like that."

He smiled and laughed. "Sorry Ash, couldn't resist."

I looked at his teeth. "I thought you said you weren't gonna be anything this year."

"I meant I wasn't gonna wear a costume. Didn't mean I couldn't wear fangs... And you can be my vampiress," Nate said with that vampire accent, if you wanna call it that. His arms still around my neck, as if I were his property. I lightly slapped his arm and he let go laughing. Jason, Shane, and Aiden were around the giant mountain of candy. "You know I would have thought all this candy would be gone by now," Nate said.

I shurgged. "Guess there aren't a lot of trick or treaters around this year. Bummer."

Nate looked at me. "Wanna go to Dippin Donuts now?"

"... Make it ice cream instead of donuts and you got yourself a deal." We smiled and we headed towards the door. He still owed me for that treaty.

"Where you guys going?" Jason spoke up before we could exit.

"Nate and I are gonna go get some ice cream," I answered with a wave.

Shane poked his head up. "Can we come-"

"Nope," Nate answered with a smile before shutting the door. I laughed, wanting to have seen Shane's expression then.

"Man, I wanted to go to Dippin Donuts," Shane whined.

"Let the kids be alone," Jason said. "Something could happen. The romantic night, cold air, Ash with no jacket, Nate _with_ a jacket."

Shane's expression changed. "Oooh. I get it... I think."

"I don't," AIden said, completly lost as he looked at both his brothers.

"Eat your candy," Shane said, giving Aiden a handful of candy in the face.

--

It was night by now as we walked, seeing Halloween Decorations everywhere.

I shivered, rubbing my arms. "Man, I'm supposed to be a goth for Halloween and yet I'm wearing no sleeves. Nate can I have your jacket?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to sell it on Shmee-bay. Come on Nate I'm cold!"

"Fine," he said, sliding it off and handing it to me. "It isn't that cold anyway."

I put it on. "Maybe, but it's so eerie right now. I mean, no one's outside. It's Halloween for heaven's sake."

Nate looked around, not even hearing a cricket. "I guess it is kinda weird."

We arrived at the Dippin Donuts. Lights were on, and it said open, but no one was inside. Nate and I looked at each other and walked in, no one noticing. "Hello?" Nate called out, going first with me behind him. "Weird, the place's empty."

I looked over his shoulder, no sign of life anywhere. "Maybe there's some people in the back."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna go check it out. You stay here."

I nodded and he jumped over the counter, heading through the kitchen doors I walked around the place. There were donuts on the trays in the back, and the ice cream flavors were here in the fridge. Nothing out of the ordinary except for the lack of customers and or workers.

"Ash!" Nate called, opening the door. "You might wanna see this!"

I arched my eyebrows and went over the counter, Nate holding the door open for me. He grabbed my hand and led me through all the donut making trays and stoves and such. Eventually, we made it through the back escape door, which was open. We ended up in that place with all the dumpsters, but there was one thing I didn't see coming. "Whoa." On the ground was this... green goo.

"Yeah," Nate said with a nod, being careful to keep our distance from it.

"What do you think it is?"

He starred at the green stuff. "I dunno, but I don't like the feeling of it."

I pouted. "Told you something weird was gonna come up. Should we take a sample of it back to the house? For testing?"

"Um, alright I guess," Nate took out that cellphone thing and used a nail to place some of the sample onto the tiny scanner. With that he shut it off, placing it back into his pocket. "If that green stuff destroys my scanner, I blame you."

I shook my head. "Just come on."

--

We entered through the fire house. All the lights were out. It only got me feeling more scared that I clung to Nate's arm.

"What's with you?" Nate asked.

"Sorry, I know I'm not usually like this, but it's Halloween. You never really know what could happen."

"Ash, we're one of the top G.R.A.Y spies. We can take down anything that pops up."

"GAHHH!"

"AHHH!" I screamed, taking my reflex and punching the creepy glow in the dark mask. Those scary bloody masks just scare the living day lights out of me sometimes, especially with this glow in the dark one.

Nate blinked his eyes. "See you can take down anything that pops up."

"Ow," I heard Shane groan.

I made a face. It was still dark so I couldn't see well. "Shane that you?"

"Sorry," we heard Jason said as some feet landed on the floor. He probably went down the fire pole. "I tried to keep Shane upstairs."

"What happened to the lights?" I asked.

"Shane wanted to try and prank you guys so he shut off all the lights," Aiden answered next to Jason.

I shook my head as Nate went to the wall, banging on it three times before it opened.

"Why are you going to the control room?" Shane asked, standing up and rubbing his nose where I punched him.

Nate didn't answer, so I did. "While we were out, we saw this weird green slimy stuff, at the back of the Dippin Donits place. The weird thing was that no one was there, not even the workers."

"Maybe they were closed," Jason said, turning the lights back on.

"Well the doors were open, the lights were still on, the tables weren't cleaned, it was like Nate and I were the only people on the entire block!"

"Seriously?" Shane asked, surprised.

I nodded. "Yeah, and no one was outside either. Where's your dad anyhow?"

"He's on a mission with some new trainee G.R.A.Y spies until Saturday," Aiden answered sleepily. "We can't contact him until he gets back home."

I pouted. "Man. I liked it better when we had normal Halloweens before I turned 13."

"Hey guys!" Nate called. We ran into the control room and saw Nate on the main computer, his scanner connected to it with the sample.

"What'd you find?" I asked, still wearing his jacket.

"I dunno. I'm not the expert on identifying weird substances," Nate stated like it was obvious. "Jason you're smart with this stuff. You know what this is?"

Jason starred at the screen. "Strange, I've never seen anything like that before."

"Then this must be _really_ something," Shane sighed out, still gazing at the screen. If Jason didn't know what it was, no one did.

**Ding dong**. We all looked towards the door, surprised. "Now who is it?" Nate spoke up.

"I'll get it," I volunteered, walking out of the control room, Aiden following. The guys poked their heads out to see. When I unlocked it, I saw three kids at the door in costumes. "Trick or treat."

My head jumped. I looked up and saw more people outside roaming with trick or treaters.

"I thought no one was outside," Aiden whispered.

"Thought so too," I answered before leaving to get some candy first. After handing them each, they left and I shut the door.

"What was that?" Shane asked suspiciously.

"It's scary. Everyone's back outside."

The guys went to the windows with me and Aiden standing behind them, already knowing what was out there."

"Wow," Nate said surprised. "What happened?"

"I dunno," I said honestly with an upset face. "M-Maybe it was just a prank or something."

"Then explain the green stuff," Jason interjected, closing the curtains.

"Um." I had no explanation for that.

"How about Ash and I head out, forget this all ever happened?" Nate said, trying to light up the tension. "And I still owe you that ice cream anyway."

I made a small smile and we headed to the door. We took the same route, little kids running around trick or treating. Eventually we got to Dippin Donuts, again. And this time, there _were _people in it. Nate and I looked at eachother surprised and then walked in, as if expecting for something to happen. What we didn't expect was for every single person to snap their heads towards us, everyone. Then after about five seconds of starring at us, they turned away, doing their business.

"... Okay that was weird," Nate said.

I nodded. "H-How about we just get the ice cream and head back home? I-It's getting late anyway."

"Right." We walked over to the counter and ordered our ice cream cones. Well, Nate ordered for me, he didn't want any. Oh well. After he payed, for me, we quickly but casually walked out of the shop. Once outside, we breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was as if outside were safer than in there.

"Alright, was it just me or was there something creepy about this place?" I breathed out like I just ran from that boulder from training.

"Then that makes two of us," Nate said. "Let's just go with the plan, go home. At least you go your ice cream."

I looked at the strawberry ice cream cone. "I guess so. And thanks."

"No problem, Ash. Come on." We started walking back home in the dark. There were still trick or treaters and some houses holding Halloween Parties. Nate looked at me, seeing me stare at my ice cream cone. "Aren't you gonna eat that?"

I pouted at it. "I dunno. You of all people know I love ice cream, but... It just gives me that creepy feeling."

"Ash, it's food," Nate reminded me as if I were a 3-year old. "You're just getting paranoid from this Halloween thing, that's all." I sighed and licked my ice cream, only for my eyes to widen and for me to spit it back out, coughing. Nate held me up and patted my back. "Ash, Ash you alright? Come on talk."

I did one of cough and shook my head, my eye twitching. "Either this is the worst strawberry ice cream cone ever, or I suddenly have new taste buds. Bleh!"

"Maybe it's expired or something," Nate said, trying to find a logical explanation before we could jump to conclusions. He helped me stand straight.

"No, it isn't that. No expired food product can taste _this_ bad. _Cow manure_ tastes better than this," I assured him, starring at my ice cream like it were a new gun.

Nate furrowed his eyebrows. "You actually tasted cow manure?"

"Remember back when we were 4 and our families went to visit my grandparents' farm?" I reminded. "And Shane offered us two chocolate ice cream cones?"

Nate looked at me before his eyes widened. "Oh God," he said about to run home to throw up before I grabed the back of his shirt.

"Not now. We have to figure out what's up with this ice cream. This thing is weird, almost like... I don't have a word for it, but this is _not_ ice cream."

Nate sighed, finally getting a grip. "If it helps, we can take it back home for testing."

"That would help," I said quietly. "Sorry for being so needy today, Nate. You give me your jacket, you buy me ice cream, and now I hate the ice cream."

Nate laughed and placed his arm around me, starting to walk. "That's just you, Ash. I don't mind all this at all. If I didn't know better, this is kinda like our own mission. And you know how I've been dying for another Halloween one."

I smiled and punched his arm.


	7. A Green Halloween Pt2

_It is Halloween, and Ash is hoping for a normal holiday, compared to her previous Halloweens with the Grays where the boys always have to defeat a bad guy for the sake of their missions. But when Nate and Ash find some abnormalities in town__, it turns into more than just a mission. There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**Chapter 7: A Green Halloween Pt.2**

We went back into the house. It was weird that the ice cream didn't melt yet, but it was probably just the cold weather outside. Somehow I persuaded Shane and Jason that we had to have my ice cream tested. How? When I walked through the door, Shane saw me with ice cream and ran, instantly boting the top part of it, only to spit it out like I did.

He coughed, running to the kitchen and running his mouth under the sink like a comedy act, except this was real. He breathed in and out, starring at me. "What kinda of ice cream flavors do you eat woman?"

I laughed. "It's supposed to be strawberry."

"More like bleh-berry," Shane said, wiping his mouth with a kitchen towel. We headed to the control room and I placed the ice cream inside this glass container, as Jason instructed.

"Jason what are you doing?" Nate asked.

"Doing a special test," Jason answered, going to the controls. I looked at a small sample of it. "It's similar to the one you guys got from before."

"The green one?" I asked confused.

"Exactly," Jason said, pressing a green button. Wiring noises went to the glass case with the ice cream inside it.

"What are you doing now?" Shane asked, walking behind me and Nate.

"Melting it," Jason said as the wiring sounds got louder. We watched in amazement as my ice cream melted, cone and all. But the weird thing was, that was as it melted, it turned from it's normal pink color to lime green, even the cone. In the end, it was just a puddle of green slimy goo, like from before. Jason turned off the heater and nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

"That was what was inside my ice cream?" I asked, tilted my head forwards.

"That _is_ your ice cream," Jason corrected.

"But... h-how'd it get like that? Like in ice cream form or something?" Shane said, eyes wide.

Jason shrugged. "Don't look at me. But a good guess is that you shouldn't eat that."

"Well of course she's not gonna eat it," Nate said. "But now what? We should get rid of it or something."

"You think it'd be safe to just throw it out?" I asked, scratching my head. "Might be dangerous stuff."

"Maybe we should just leave it be for now," Jason said, heading back to the computer to save the data while Shane went to get a closer look. "Because right now, it seems harmless."

"Um, guys? You call this harmless?" Shane asked with that rising voice.

Nate and I looked and saw the green slime having seeped out of the container and jump onto Shane's wrist, now engulfing his arm like a man-eating blob as it continued growing. Shane screamed while I grabbed his hand, Nate grabbing my waist. Eventually we pulled him back and slammed into the wall, some specks of the green stuff on us. And I could swear it was moving like a little worm. I squealed and shook my self, trying to get them off. Small parts were harmless, but the big blob over there started moving towards us. Nate, Shane, and I ran with Jason and sealed the door shut before it could follow. We sighed from relief and slid to the floor.

"That's the last time I eat ice cream at that place," I sighed out.

"What the heck just happened?" Nate asked, running his hand through his hair.

"Something weird, that's for sure," Jason said, making sure the wall was sealed off.

"What happened?" Aiden asked, sliding down the fire pole back in his normal clothes instead of his Halloween costume. "I heard screaming."

Shane gave me, Nate, and himself some towels. "A giant booger tried to eat me."

Aiden made a face and I shook my head. "My ice cream turns out to be a man eating monster."

"Riiight," Aiden said with a nod of his head.

"She's serious!" Nate defended.

"Yeah, look what it did to my sleeve!" Shane whined, showing us his arm. The sleeve was torn off from when it was submerged in the green ooze.

"Ok that pretty much proves it," Aiden clarified, eyeing the tear line. "Where is it?"

"In here," Jason said, pointing at the wall for the control room. "But it won't be getting out that easily. This thing's sealed."

"What about the air ducts?" Nate asked.

Jason looked at me. "_Someone _went crawling through those air ducts and we had to seal it off from the control room."

I grinned sheepishly. "I told you I was sorry."

We heard a slide and the door opened, making our eyes widen. No one hit the wall three times, so maybe that green stuff must have opened it itself. When the shadow came out, we saw another Shane, a clone maybe. My mouth hung open while Nate looked at the two Shanes in the room.

"You never said you made another Shane," Aiden said, hiding behind us.

"We didn't," I said as the new Shane attacked our Shane, making them fall to the ground. Shane flipped him off and they began fighting. They were mastered with all the fighting techniques, and they seemed equal. By now we had no idea who was who.

"Ok this isn't good," Jason said, backing us up into the kitchen for safety.

"But we can't just stand here," Nate retorted. "We have to help Shane."

"Yeah, which Shane?" I said, pointing at the two teens in the living room.

One of their ties were ripped off and was thrown onto the kitchen counter as other stuff started being knocked down, like the lamp and bookshelf. We ducked as the tie flew over our heads, landing on the floor with a splat. Splat? That's not right. We turned around and saw the tie on the floor, and the top ends of where the tie was ripped off was melting into that green slime.

"Eww," Aiden said with a face.

"I think I get it," Jason said. "The slime must have used Shane's sleeve to make an exact copy of the real Shane."

"And that stuff was everywhere," Nate added. "It might explain why everyone disappeared before. They were captured by that green stuff and replaced with those... things."

"Hello? Back to the problem here?!" I reminded, turning their heads back at the living room. They continued fighting, their clothes ripped. And both their ties were gone so I couldn't tell which was was the fake.

"Wait, that's it!" Aiden shouted.

"What's it?" Nate asked, starring at him.

"Quick, give me that broom!" 7-year old Aiden ordered

I turned around and threw the broom at him. Aiden jumped over the counter and ran at the two Shanes. He lifted the broom and hit them both over their heads, making them a bit dizzy before collapsing to the ground. Me and the guys ran over and starred at them.

"What was that?!" Jason asked, not seeing Aiden with any reaction.

"My plan," Aiden answered with a grin.

"Wait Jason, look," Jason said, kneeling down. The left Shane's head had some of that green slime at the edges of his hair as he began to disappear into slime. "We found the real Shane."

"Yeah, except he's out like a light," Aiden said, poking Shane with the broom.

"Oh, I hate where this is going," I groaned out. "What on earth is this stuff coming from?"

We heard the doorbell, making all of us jump. I went to the door and opened it, seeing a few kids on the steps, with smirks on their faces. And behind them was about hundreds of kids, all evil looking for some reason. I blinked in confusement, as I saw at least a bit of green slime on every single one of them.

"Trick or treat," hissed a little girl with a scary smirk.

I quickly slammed the door shut with a priceless look on my face. "Alright Ash, don't panic, don't panic, don't pani-"

"Ash?"

"AHHH!" I shouted, knocking Nate over from shock.

"Who's at the door? More trick or treaters?" Nate asked, shaking his head as he sat up.

"More like Trick or Killers. They're everywhere!"

"Who's everywhere?"

"Those green things that's what!" I said, grabbing his shirt and shaking him back and forth in panic.

Jason laughed. "Come on Ash, can't be that many," he said, opening the curtains, only revealing the streets crowded with a bunch of people, all starring at us with that evil look. Jason's face drained and he shut the curtains back closed. "Ok maybe it can."

"Gah, we're doomed," I panicked with my hands on my head.

"Something tells me we're the last ones," Aiden said worried.

"Yeah that helps," I said sarcastically with rolling eyes.

"Nate look out!" Jason suddenly shouted.

I looked and saw the green slime jump and latch around Nate's ankle, pulling him to the ground with a thud and a shout. "Nate!" I shouted, grabbing his hand as my feet skidded along the floor. The green slime started moving as little bits of it started going towards me.

"Ash let go!" Nate shouted, half his leg covered by that lime that was drawing him in.

"No!" I snapped, still being dragged myself. Jason and Aiden went behind me, trying to help pull Nate back. "Alright not working!"

"Geez this stuff's strong," Jason said, trying to drag me back, but only being dragged forward himself.

"Hold on!" Aiden struggled, pressing a button on his shoes. I heard a jet sound as I looked back, seeing fire under Aiden's shoes. My eyes widened as we flew back, taking Nate with us. We all slammed into the wall, first Aiden, then Jason, then me, then Nate. Not the best feeling.

"Ouch," I squeaked in a whisper, my spine hurting so much from landing.

"Aren't those Shane's jet sneakers?" Nate groaned.

Aiden's eyes went left and right. "Um... No."

"Everyone okay?" Jason groaned, sitting up.

I stood up, Aiden and I helping Nate stand. By now most of the living room was splattered with that green stuff, and there was banging on the door. "We won't be for long if we stay down here. Jason you better get Shane. Let's get upstairs, and fast."

Jason was careful going over any of the slime and picked up Shane. Aiden ran up the stairs and I followed, helping Nate walk. We ended up in Nate's and Aiden's room, it being the closest. Aiden ran in and Jason and I helped Shane and Nate to the bed.

"Are they alright?" Aiden asked, sitting in Nate's computer chair.

"My head hurts," Shane said, waking up.

I smiled. "Good, you're not unconscious anymore. Jason can you go to the mini fridge and get the ice pack?"

Shane looked at us dizzy. "You have a mini fridge in your bedroom?"

Nate starred at him. "You should know. You gave it to me for my 14th birthday."

Jason laughed and walked up, going to the other side of the room. I looked towards Nate, seeing him rubbing his ankle. "What happened to you?"

Nate continued rubbing his ankle. "Thanks to that green thing, I can't walk straight without tripping."

"Welcome to the club," Shane said, making me and Aiden laugh, considering Shane got into a lot of accidents involving tripping and or falling.

Jason came back with an ice pack for Shane's head. "So is Nate alright?"

"Just a few cuts," Nate said with a shrug, not wanting us to worry.

I looked at it. "Aiden can you go to the cabinet and get the first aid kit? There should be some bandages in it."

"Got it!" Aden said, going off.

Nate laughed. "Well you make a great nurse."

I smiled. "Well I'm the only girl. I'm supposed to be the nurse." Nate rolled his eyes and Aiden gave me the first aid kit, which was a small white box with a red cross. I opened it and applied the medicine before wrapping the bandages around Nate's ankle. I finally noticed the others starring. I slowly lifted my head, starring back at them. "What?"

"You know, I'd get my camera right now if my head didn't hurt so much," Shane told us, sitting up in bed as he kept the ice pack on his head.

"Well if it didn't hurt, would you go if there were aliens out there?" Aiden piped up.

Shane starred at his youngest brother. "We got aliens now?"

"Um, not that I know of," I said unsure. "Aiden what are you saying?"

"I read online about this alien from space. A long while ago, a couple years back, they found this little green substance in space and brought it back for testing. It takes the real thing and takes form of the original. They weren't able to study how, because it disappeared. And it keeps wanting to multiply like cells, so they keep trying to grow and grow in size. And they say the best way to do that is to get hold of humans and make copies of them."

"... Well that's some story you read, Aiden," Nate said with a nod.

"It's true!" Aiden shouted. "At least _now_ I think it is. Just about the entire neighborhood's aliens!"

Shane pouted. "And this night gets better and better. First it's missions on Halloween. Now it's the invasion of aliens."

"Did the article say anything about how to get rid of it?" Jason asked, taking any info we could get out hands on.

"Nah," Aiden said, shaking his head. "How'd it spread so fast anyway?"

"Well we know that the Dippin Donuts ice cream got tampered with," Nate reminded. "Ash's ice cream remember? And probably the Halloween candy too if it got to all those other people."

My head shot up, suddenly forming an idea. I went to Nate's desk, turning on his computer.

"Hey what are you doing now?" Nate asked, standing up, only to fall back on the ground because of his ankle. It was like a tree going timber, and Aiden, Shane, and Jason watched him, eyes doing downwards. It'd be pretty funny if I weren't in such a serious spot right now.

"Wait," I said. "You got your G.R.A.Y criminal prison files saved here, right Nate?"

Nate looked at up at me. "Yeah, why?"

I went to the files and clicked on Dulcis's name. He was one of the criminals from before on Halloween. Remember when I said about a bad guy distributing brain washing candy? It was this guy. I clicked on his camera and a new window popped up, revealing his cellar. It was empty and I narrowed my eyes at it. "Knew it."

"What is it?" Jason asked from my bed.

"Remember Dulcis?" I asked, tuning around in the chair.

"The whacky dude with the blue hair?" Shane asked.

I starred at him. "If he had blue hair then ok. I've never really seen him so I can't judge."

"What is it?" Nate asked, wanting me to get to the point.

I moved the chair so the guys could see the monitor. "His cellar's empty."

Their eyes widened. "What happened?" Aiden asked, just as surprised.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I dunno. My guess is that he's involved in this thing. You keep tracking devices on all the prisoners, don't you?"

Jason looked at his watch as I heard a few beeps. "Found him."

I smiled. "Great. Where is he?"

"Out there," he said, pointing at the window. "As in mixed in with the angry mob trying to get us to join them."

I pouted. "Wow that helps out a lot."

"Still, how are we gonna get out there without getting sucked in by those green blobs?" Nate asked, bringing us back to the original problem.

"You guys could always go with Aiden's plan," Shane spoke up, taking off his ice pack. "I mean, they're just goo. Just use weapons to whack them and they're good." We all starred at Shane. "What?"

"That's a good plan," Nate said, looking at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, weird."

"Hey," Shane pouted.

I shook my head. "Well guys, time to provide our own weapons, old style."

I went to Nate's closet, going through a bunch of crashing.

Jason made a face. "Ash what are you doing?"

"And don't touch my socks!" Nate added, making me poke my head out and stare at him before shaking my head, getting back to work. I brought out five weapons, them being a hockey stick, and umbrella, a golf club, a baseball bat, and a rake.

"Wow you've got a lot of stuff in your closet, Nate," Aiden commented.

I threw them each a weapon, them catching their's on reflex. "War time guys, we're going in."

Nate smirked. "I'm beginning to like this Halloween."

"And your ankle?" I asked with a hand on my hip.

Nick shrugged. "I'll be ok. Can't have my best friend kick alien butt without me." I smiled warmly at him. "And because I'm gonna be bored out of my mind if I just lay here."

I hit his shoulder. "Thanks for ruining the moment."

--

"Ready, set, CHARGE!" Aiden shouted, opening the door. Me, Shane, Jason, Nate, and Aiden ran out, ramming our way through all the cloned people. They just turned into goo, like we predicted. We can get pretty violent when we know our enemies aren't really real.

"Wow, we should do this more often during training," I said as Nate and I of us had our backs to each other, holding our weapons.

He nodded. "Yeah, but we have to focus on fidning Dulcis. He's the one behind all this anyway."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, take all the fun out of it."

He laughed and we went on our attack again. Aiden seemed to be holding off well by himself, for a kid. But hey, he's one of the sons of the boss. By now we had most of the people defeated into slime, but still no sign of that Dulcis guy. I looked at my watch, trying to pin point down his location. I looked around. He should be near. I saw he was behind me so I hit whoever was behind me, only for the weapon to go through him like goo.

"Man, just another clone."

"Not really," he hissed, giving me a good kick to the ground. I hit the concrete as I heard my name being shouted by the guys.

"Ash!"

The man, who I presumed to be Dulcis, smirked, his arms crossed. "Hm, so this is the Ashley Drame you guys protected from eating my candy. Now she's a G.R.A.Y spy, splendid."

I glared. "How are you..."

He laughed. "I found out how to fuse my DNA with the green substance. Now I control it, as well as all of my creations, including these guys." He gestured towards the shadows, and I saw three people come out. Nate, Shane, and Jason.

Shane groaned. "Agh, not this again!"

"Clones," I gritted through my teeth.

Dulcis smirked. "Let's see your friends try and beat themselves."

The three clones went to attack their originals. Aiden tried helping, since he didn't have a clone. And they were just as good, as clones are.

I stood back up, throwing my weapon away. "I'll take you down myself." I aimed to punch him, but I missed as he swiftly moved to the side.

He laughed evilly. "So weak and slow. But I guess I should expect that, you being a girl."

I froze and was about to punch him again, but he beat me to it. I flew back, hitting the ground once again. I couldn't move anymore and I was knocked out.

--

"Hey guys! She's waking up!" I heard Shane cheer as if it were Christmas.

I opened my eyes and saw a white room. Hospital. Wow, about time I finally arrived in one of these, being a spy. "What happened again?"

"You got knocked out," Jason told me. "On Halloween two days ago."

My eyes snapped open. "Two days?" I hung my head. "Ms. Autumn's gonna have it in for me now."

Shane laughed. "No sweat, Ash. Your mom wrote her a letter, so we didn't have to hide anything."

"Unless you count having the entire neighbor's memory wiped," Jason said, giving Shane a look.

Shane made a face. "What else could we do? Tell them an alien ate them then spit them back out? Besides, Dad would have killed us if he found out what on Halloween.

I starred at the two. "So your dad doesn't know about this."

"Nope," they both answered.

"Then how did you explain this?" I asked, pointing at the bandages around my head.

Shane grinned. "I made up the excuse. You and Nate fell through the hole for the fire pole and hit the ground. Nate hurt his ankle and you hurt your head."

I gave him a look. "You say we fell down a fire house hole and that was it?"

"At least it worked," Shane said in his defence.

I shook my head. "So where's Aiden and Nate? I figured they'd be here too."

Jason smiled. "Nate went to pick up Aiden from school. If you're wondering, we got Dulcis back to his cellar."

I made an amused face. "How?"

"Nate," Shane laughed, pretending to reenact Nate's fight. "When he saw the guy punch you and knock you out, he went all mad and then BAM!" Shane made a punch in the air, only for him to knock down a lamp light, Jason and I starring. "I didn't do that."

We laughed. But I spoke next. "Did Nate really beat him that easily?"

"Well, Nate can get motivated pretty easily," Jason pointed out. "Especially by you, Ash."

I tittled my head. "What's that mean?"

Jason shook his head. "Nothing, nothing."

We heard the door open and Aiden ran in to hug me, Nate closing the door. He looked at the broken lamp on the ground then at Shane.

"I didn't do it," Shane said immediately, making me laugh.

"About time you woke up!" Aiden said happily. "It was boring while you were gone."

I smiled back. "At least I'm here now." I tilted my head to the right. "Hey Nate."

"Hey."

"We're gonna go get lunch and come back," Jason said, taking Aiden. "Nate you stay and keep Ash company."

"What-"

"Later guys!" Shane waved, shutting the door.

Nate and I looked at each other and shrugged. He pulled up a chair and sat beside me. "So how's your head?"

"Fine. I don't see why I had to wear these bandages though," I said, playing with the end part. "Is your ankle doing ok?"

"It's doing better than your head, that's for sure."

"Wow, you _sure_ now how to make me feel better," I said with a laugh. Nate nodded, smiling and making me laugh. "By the way," I said through my laugh, "thanks."

"For what?" he asked.

"You know, for beating up the bad guy when I was knocked out," I said. "The guys told me."

He glared to the side. "I'll get them back later."

"No, don't. It's fine. Besides, I think it's pretty sweet."

"What? My best friend was laying on the concrete floor with a bleeding head. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not a guy." Nate smiled at me. "Were you really that worried about me, Nate?"

"Yeah. I mean, the minute I heard you scream and fall on the ground, it just got me all worked up that I just had to do something. I don't know."

I smiled and kissed his cheek, making him freeze and blush. I giggled and the door opened to a nurse holding a tray. She set it in front of me. My guess, my lunch. When she left, I saw on the side a small bowl of ice cream. I picked up my finger and slowly pushed the tray away. "Maybe I should just wait for the others to get back here with some _real_ food."

Nate laughed. "Well Ash, I still owe you for that treaty. Maybe when you're allowed to come home, I can take you for donuts?"

"As long as it's no ice cream, I'm good." Well, mission accomplished, if you even count this secret as a mission. If fact... you can just say this thing never happened... or did it?

Happy Halloween...

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_--_

_--_

_"Ash!" Nate ran into his room, seeing me in the same position as before. He ran to the bed and held my hand. "Ash, Ash wake up."_

_Nate shook her a little bit, trying to wake her back up. He felt my face and rubbed my hand. No reaction. "Ash, Ash wake up. Come on Ash."_

_"So you're just sleepy?" Aiden asked, sitting on my lap._

_"I guess so," I said tiredly as Nate sat beside me._

"Does she get enough sleep?"

"More than usual," Nate commented, walking over and trying to help me sit back up. "She usually only needs like six hours of sleep. Now she can sleep for like 12 or 13 hours straight through the night."

"Ok, maybe we should get her checked out. Now," Nate said, helping me walk steadily since I was starting to collapse.

I shot my head back up. "No no, I'm fine. Just a little nap is all I need."

Jason and Shane looked at each other while Nate starred at me worryingly. "If you say so."


	8. Sleeping Beauty Pt1

_Lately, Ash has been having abnormal sleep patterns, and is never wide awake anymore, thus slipping up on missions. To help, Nate, Jason, Shane, and Aiden try different ways to keep her up an entire night in hopes it will get her back to normal. In a side story, Shane starts a petition for getting rid of the uniforms for the school's students._

* * *

**Chapter 8: Sleeping Beauty Pt.1**

"Alright, we'll split up!" Shane said, all of us nodding. Jason and Shane went down one hall while me and Nae went down the opposite, trying to catch the bad guy, who was robbing the new science lab that just opened. Eventually, we got a hold of her and the other G.R.A.Y agents took her away.

"Well, another mission well done," Jason said.

I removed my fingerless black gloves. "Good. It's night and I haven't gotten any sleep lately."

"Maybe we should bring you in for a check up though," Nate suggested. "When that needle hit your shoulder you got pretty shook up."

I shrugged, but it somewhat hurt my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I should be getting used to getting hurt, being a spy and all."

"Ash, that needle was at least a foot long," Shane added.

I yawned. "Let's just get on the jet back home. I'm exhausted."

The guys looked at eachother and shrugged, following me back to the jet back home.

--

"Ash wake up," Nate nudged me during Biology.

I sat up immediately, seeing the dead frog in the tray in front of us. "Hm? Oh, sorry Nate. I guess I dozed off."

"Yeah, _dozed off_," Nate said. "You're never this tired. I don't even think you need that much sleep."

I shrugged, sitting up straight as I rubbed my eye. "Maybe it's just some new sleep pattern I have to get used to, considering I travel the world and never know what time it really is anymore."

Nate laughed, picking up a small silver scalpel. "Maybe. Now would you please help me dissect this frog before we get an F?"

I smiled, taking the other scalpel and helping with this science experiment. But rather than the project itself, me trying to stay awake was the real obstacle.

--

We walked home from school, going to Nate's house.

"Ash are you alright?" Jason asked, seeing me bob my head once in a while.

"H-Huh what?" I asked, still walking.

"Ash you're obviously sleepy," Shane pointed out, going in front of me and walking backwards. "Did you get enough sleep yesterday?"

"No more than usual," I replied, "Which is about five or six hours. That's basically all that I need, but lately, I don't know." I yawned, my head suddenly resting on Nate's shoulder. My eyes were closed, but my legs were still moving.

"Ok, maybe we should get her checked out. Now," Nate said, helping me walk steadily since I was starting to collapse.

I shot my head back up. "No no, I'm fine. Just a little nap is all I need."

Jason and Shane looked at eachother while Nate starred at me worryingly. "If you say so."

We arrived at the fire house and walked in, throwing our bags off. I went to the couch and fell into it, feeling heaven. Aiden walked in, seeing me laying there. "What happened to her?"

"Sleepy," I mumbled, not bothering to even move myself from my face flat position.

Nate shook his head, grabbing a blanket from the closet for me. "And don't bother her, she needs it."

Aiden nodded. "Um, right. Anyway Dad says you guys got a mission."

I brought my head up. "Man, do we have to?"

Jason felt my forehead. "Weird, not sick. But if you're too tired, you don't have to come."

I shook my head and sat up, stretching my arms. "Nah, I'll be ok. So what if I'm sleepy? I'm good. I've had like a one minute nap right now and it did me wonders."

Nate laughed and nodded. "Alright then. Let's go guys."

Ok, maybe my sleepiness _was_ a big deal. And it was getting in the way of missions too. Like this:

--

"Alright Ash, ready?" Shane asked over the walkie talkie.

I nodded from my position, ready to set off the net when the kidnappers would run by. "All set. Just waiting for the signal." A few seconds passed. And I was feeling sleepy again. I shut my eyes, 'resting' them. Eventually I nodded off and when the bad guys came, I missed them. At least the guys were able to tackle them down before they could get away.

--

"Come on, fight back!" the woman shouted, Jason dodging her kick, along with Nate and Shane.

"Gah, this is why I don't like girl villains!" Shane said, dodging as well in panic.

"Ash a little help here!" Nate shouted, catching a punch in his hand. "Ash!" I was laying on top of a box crate, sleeping away during the mission.

"What's wrong, afraid to punch a girl?" the woman cooed as she kneed Nick where it hurts..

"Ow," Nate cracked out. "Ash you so owe us later," he whispered before he fell down with a thud.

--

"Alright Ash, do your job," Shane said, looking out the door to see if the coast was clear.

I took my time, walking to the chair. I plopped down on it and saw a bunch of monitors everywhere. That only got me more sleepy. I was supposed to be cracking a code that only I knew how to do.

"Why can't Jason do this?" I asked, rubbing my eye.

"Because he's not here right now. Jason's attending college preparation stuff with Dad, remember," Nick reminded, rushing over to me and taking my shoulder from behind. "Now come on Ash. Let me remind you we have to finish this mission sometime this century."

My head started bobbing up and down. "Um, right... ok..." And then suddenly my head hit the keyboard, me asleep. Nate groaned and rubbed his forehead.

--

"Hm," the 12 year old doctor said, looking in my eyes with one of those tiny flash light things. He was a new recruit to G.R.A.Y, and is one of the most advanced in medical stuff. Weird how the organization can find kids like this.

"Is she ok?" Mr. Gray asked.

The kid doctor stood up while I started falling to my left since I had no one holding my shoulders up, ending with a thud.

"Ashley's fine, just a little over exhausted," the doctor, who's name was Tommy, replied. "Is she maintaining a healthy diet?"

"She eats normal," Jason said almost like question. "As normal as her food choices get."

"Does she exercise?"

"A lot," Aiden answered. "She works out with my brothers a lot."

"Does she get enough sleep?"

"More than usual," Nate commented, walking over and trying to help me sit back up. "She usually only needs like six hours of sleep. Now she can sleep for like 12 or 13 hours straight through the night."

"Hm," he said, writing some things down on a paper and handing it to Mr. Gray. "Well, this is strange. Probably just hormones. She is 15 anyway."

The Grays looked at eachother confusingly.

"Just try and keep her up when she needs it, get her active and hyper, she'll do just fine. But you should keep her off missions until she's back into the swing of things."

"Thanks for coming," Mr. Gray said as he showed him the door.

"So you're just sleepy?" Aiden asked, sitting on my lap.

"I guess so," I said tiredly as Nate sat beside me. "Maybe I should just stay home."

Nate pouted. "Well missions sure won't be fun anymore."

I made a small laugh. "They were fun even before I joined G.R.A.Y. And at least I won't mess up anymore."

"You don't mess up," Nate said comfortingly with an arm around my shoulder.

I gave him a look.

"Ok maybe you do," Nate said truthfully, making Kevin Jason whack him upside the head.

I shook my head. "Where's Shane anyway?"

"Right here!" he called, sliding down the fire pole holding a piece of paper.

"What do you have there?" I asked.

"A petition," Shane said proudly. "Our school's thinking about getting uniforms! Can you believe that?"

"Oh no. Whatever shall we do?" Nate said in a bored tone.

Shane gave him a look. "I'm serious! I wanna wear my own clothes to school! It's how I express my self," he said with a grin.

Jason rolled his eyes at his dramaticy. "How's the rest of the school reacting?"

"Like me," Shane answered. "And once we get enough signatures as well as some other things, we'll be a uniform free school! Power to the people!"

I laughed. "Typical Shane. I thought it was supposed to be the girls who worried about clothing."

"You'll have to wear a short skirt for the girls uniform."

"Give me a pen."

Nate laughed at how quickly I reacted to Shane's comment about the girls' uniform. But hey, I wasn't gonna wear a skirt to school, especially during the fall and winter. Too cold. "All this for a skirt?"

I pouted, signing my name at the top of the list. "Well if we wear uniforms, that'll mean I can't wear my cat ear hats anymore."

Jason looked over our shoulders. "Why are you signing mine and Nate's name?"

"Because Ash's awesome that way," Shane said, taking his pen back and heading out the door. Me and the guys looked at eachother and shrugged.

--

It was late at night, and I was in Nate's room again, sleeping over. I was playing video games with Aiden, and Nate was on his computer.

"I win again," Aiden sighed out while my car crashed. We were playing Mario Kart. Aiden always won at this oh so classic game. "Ash, at least _try _to win. You keep falling off cliffs, going into water, and you keep slipping on the bananas. You even went backwards during one of the laps."

I yawned. "Sorry Aiden. I guess I'm too tired to keep up my hand-eye coordination." I looked at Nate. "And what's with you?"

"Trying to finish up our biology report," Nate answered. "Seeing as you can barely remember what we did during that frog dissection."

"How many times do I have to tell everyone sorry?!" I screamed into the air and falling backwards.

"Maybe we just need to keep you up all night?" Aiden asked, looking back at me on the ground.

"Hm, that's actually a good idea," Nare said. "It might do something."

"But how though?" I asked, sitting back up. "We need a genius to help me stay awake."

The three of us looked at eachother before screaming, "SHANE!"

"What happened?" we heard Jason shout from their bedroom.

"We're having an all-nighter!" Aiden cheered, jumping up.

Shane grinned, sticking his head down the hole from the ceiling. "Oooh, what's the occasion?"

"Ash," Nate answered from his computer. "We need to keep her up for as long as possible."

Shane slid down the fire pole and landed in our bed room. "You've come to the right guy."

I pouted. "Why do I feel like a spy experiment?"

"Just trust us," Nate said, helping me stand up.

Jason slid down to the room as well. "You guys sure this is the right thing to do?"

"Must you always be cautious about everything?" Shane asked. "Besides, this could be fun."

"I agree with Jason," I yawned, covering my mouth. "Maybe I'm mentally sick or that doctor missed something. I mean he's 12 for Pete's sake."

"Let's just go to the control room. I'll run a few tests, then you guys can do what you want with her," Jason said.

Shane sighed. "Fine, Professor."

Aiden, Shane, and Jason jumped down the fire pole and I was about to go too, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You're not going alone."

I looked at Nate. "What? Afraid I'm gonna fall?"

"With how sleepy you are you _will_ fall," Nate said with a chuckle. "Here, get on my back and we'll go down."

I made a small smile. "You can be as cautious as Jason sometimes."

Nate laughed as I placed my arms around his neck from behind. "I am when it comes to you."

We slid down and landed on the ground, me holding on tight. After heading to the control room and Kevin running some tests on me, Joe pulled me out of the room and into the living room. Jason decided to stay in the control room to find out if there was anything wrong with the test samples.

"So, what's the first thing we're gonna do?" I asked, sitting down on the couch.

Shane paced left and right. "We will be giving you a series of my own tests."

Nate made a face. "Why do I feel more nervous than Ash right now?"

--**  
**  
"Spin! Spin like the wind!" Shane said, tuning the chair around and around.

I was sitting in a wheelie spinning chair, tied to it with rope, courtesy of Shae, Nate, and Aiden, mostly Shane and Aiden. You would have thought I was screaming and begging for him to stop now right?

"Shane stop!" Nate said. I was in the chair, trying to stay awake rather than trying to get off.

"No! this is working wonders!" Shane said, spinning the chair.

"No you're spinning her around! That's not helping anybody!" Nate said, making Shane turned around with crossed arms.

"Well I don't see you coming up with any other ideas."

"At least my ideas would be better than this."

My chair slowed down and Aiden held it, keeping it in place. "How you feeling Ash?"

"T-Tired," I answered crossed eyed, not to mention my hair under my car ear hat a mess. I was sooo dizzy.

--

"Here's my special stash," Shane said, coming out of the elevator with a huge bag over his shoulder.

Nate looked at him, just as surprised as I was. "What is that? Santa's bag of toys?"

Shane laughed, throwing the bag onto the floor in the center of us. "My stash of candy. I don't usually share this but I think Ash's gonna need it."

"You sure all this is gonna work?" I asked tiredly.

"It's gonna keep you hyper," Shane said simply.

"Not all night," Nate said. "Once the sugar rush goes away, she's just gonna collapse from exhaustion. No candy."

"Oh come on!"

"No candy Shane," Nate said again. "I don't wanna risk Ash getting any more tired than she already is."

"What about sour candies?" Aiden asked.

I looked at Nate. "Yeah Nate, what about sour candies?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't know."

Shane stood up. "Fine, we'll just use _other_ sour foods."

"Um, what exactly?" Aiden asked unsure.

**--5 MIN LATER--**

All of us were sitting at the counter of the kitchen, four plates in front of us. Each had two pieces of bread, and the most spiciest ingredients in the middle. Hot sauce, peppers, anything hot. We were all starring at our plates, sitting there.

"I'm scared," Aiden spoke up.

"And this is supposed to keep me up... how?" I asked.

"The hotness will keep you alarmed for a while," Shane said, pouring water into our glasses.

"And why make four?" Nate asked nervous, just as Aiden was. How Shane could handle this so easy is beyond me.

"Because if Ash has to do it, we should too," Shane said, taking his seat next to Aiden across me and Nate. "It's only fair."

Nate, Aiden, and I looked at eachother worryingly.

"Alright, on three," Shane said, picking up his sandwhich. The rest of us hesitantly did the same, practically hearing the sizzling of the spicy ingredients from underneath the bread. Makes you wish you were with Kevin right now in the control room. "One... two... THREE!" Shane shouted. We all took a quick bite out of our death sandwiches. And just as predicted, the guys' eyes went wide, as their mouths stopped moving.

I blinked, swallowing and opening my eyes. "Hm, not bad."

All of a sudden the guys went into a scramble, grabbing their glasses of water and chugging it all down.

"Hot hot hot hot!" Shane shouted, running around the kithing, trying to fan his mouth.

I watched the three boys as if they were running on lava.

"Water!" Aiden shouted, grabbing the kitchen faucet's hose and spraying his face.

"Give it!" Nate said, stealing it from him.

"Mine!" Shane said, as his younger brothers tried to steal it back, their tongue's burning red.

I looked back at my sandwich and ate another bite out of it as the boys continued to fight over the kitchen sink.

--

"W-Why is it s-so cold?" I shivered.

"Because," Shane answered, walking back into the living room. "I read that a cold temperature keeps you alert. This is bound to keep you awake."

"If her fingers don't fall off," Nate said, cold himself. "We can see our breath in here you haven't noticed."

"Oh stop whining," Shane said, with a wave of his hand. He sure wasn't affected by the VERY suddenly drop in temperature.

"W-What kind of house is this for the temperature to be changed so fast?" I asked, rubbing my arms.

"Don't look at us," Aiden said, sitting in Nate's lap at an attempt to keep warm.

"Are you sleepy?" Shane asked with a smile.

"Yes," I hissed through the now foggy living room, glaring at Shane. I wouldn't be surprised if it suddenly started snowing in here.

--

We walked down the stairs into the basement, which was like a giant gym. This was where the training was held. Remember mine?

I yawned. "What are we doing down here?"

Shane pressed a button on a remote, making the walls flip and two giant stereos appear, spooking me and Aiden.

"Didn't know we had that," Aiden said, starring at how high it was. They reached the ceiling! And that was high.

Shane smirked. "Loud music is supposed to keep you up. No soft tunes, no lullabies."

"I don't like where this is going," Nate said as my head dropped onto his shoulder, making him jump.

"Relax little bother," Shane said, taking out a CD and placing into the small stereo, compared to the giant speakers. He played a track number. I remember that CD. The guys liked to record music a lot before. But I didn't hear them since I was 12.

"I didn't know you guys still sang," I said while rubbing my eye.

Nate shrugged. "Well we needed a hobby besides catching bad guys."

"What about the neighbors? It's late," I said sleepily.

"This room is soundproof," Shane answered simply, pressing a button.

Suddenly a huge wave of music came out of the speakers. It was the intro to a song called Inseparable? Either way, the intro was loud, considering Shane turned **everything **up on high. The sound waves were like powerful winds. Our hands went to our ears and Aiden fell back, being very light.

"TOO LOUD!" I shouted.

"WHAT?!" Shane shouted back, also holding his ears.

"TURN IT OFF!" Nate shouted.

"WHAT?!"

"TURN IT OFF!!" Nate and I both screamed.


	9. Sleeping Beauty Pt2

"Okay, let's take a break here," I sighed out tiredly, me and Aiden falling onto the couch.

"Good," Nate said, collapsing beside me too.

"Well I'm out of ideas," Shane said, sitting on the other couch. "Ash are you still sleepy?"

I yawned. "No different from when we started, Shane. If anything, I'm more exhausted from our little in-home adventure."

Aiden yawned too, still being the little kid he was. "What time is it, Nate?"

Nate looked at his watch. "3:00AM. Maybe this is as far as we should go. We all need our sleep."

Shane nodded with a big loud yawn that was frankly disturbing. "Alright."

"Hey, look," Aiden said to Shane, looking at me and pointing. "Ash's asleep now. And her head's on Nate's shoulder."

Nate blushed and looked down, seeing me right on his shoulder. Strange snores were emiting from my mouth unconciously. Shane couldn't help but stare at the strange picture. "Um... cute," he said with less meaning. It was weird, Shane seeing the tall and might Ash Drame, snoring.

Nate blinked, slowly moving his head to see mind. "How did I not notice that?"

"I guess Iyou must be getting used to the feeling," Aiden answered with a slight laugh.

After Nate sent a short glare he stood up, picking me up as well. But truth be told, he was entirely shocked and weak in the knees that he didn't even feel my head on his own shoulder. "We better get to bed now. Come on, Aiden. You're coming with us."

Shane nodded as the three of us went towards the elevator. "Once she's in bed, come back downstairs, check up on Jason."**  
**  
-**NATE'S POV**-

Once I laid Ash down in my bed, she had a look of peace on her face, like she always would have. I didn't have the heart to put her in her uncomfortable sleeping bag on the floor. And strangely enough, I didn't notice myself smiling until Aiden snapped me out of it.

"You're starring at her," Aiden sang amusingly.

I gave him a 'keep quiet' look and we headed to the fire pole in the middle of the bedroom, sliding down to the living room. We took a turn and went to the control room with Shane, seeing Jason for the first time all day, reading the monitors.

"Oh hey guys," Jason said, seeing the door open. "Anything happen? Ash better?"

"A lot," I answered. "And here's one important lesson I learned: never go with Shane's plans."

"Hey, at least it gave us something to do," Shane shrugged.

"... Okay I'm just gonna assume she's not okay?" Jason said. "So where is sleeping beauty? She's not asleep is she?"

"Upstairs. We had Nate bring her up there to rest from today's unpleasant activities," Shane answered. It was then Jason's eyes widened dramatically. I blinked, unsure of why he asked so alarmed. "Why are you opening your eyes bigger?"

"Oh boy," he said, going back to the computers.

"W-Why? What?" I asked, getting worried.

Jason pressed a button and a bunch of stuff popped up on the screen. "I think she's been injected with some kind of sleeping poison."

"Sleeping who now?" Shane asked, rushing over behind Kevin. "'Cause you know that was a highly detailed and unexpected answer for Nat's question."

"So what does this mean, anyway?" Aiden asked, no longer sleepy by worried.

Jason had a serious look on his face. "Bad things. It sorta brings the victim into a deep sleep, which, obviously Ash has been doing lately. It was being tested as a new tranquilizer by the government, but it was never finished. That must have been the thing the girl was robing from the lab a few missions back."

"And Ash was hit in the shoulder with that needle," I said, remembering the scene on the mission.

Jason nodded, seeing we got the idea. "Which is bad. But because it was still in the building stage, it takes a while for the person to actually fall asleep permanently."

"_Permanently_?" I repeated.

"He said permanently," Shane repeated as well. "Please tell me permanently means this is nothing to worry about."

"Then it shuts down the entire immune system, which was also really bad." Then his head jumped, slowly turning towards us. "Luckily for us Ash hasn't fallen asleep again."

"Um, Jason-"

I was already out the door, cutting off Aiden's statement. I went running up the stairs, seeing as wasn't gonna wait for the elevator.

"She fell asleep didn't she," Jason said upsettingly, Aiden and Shane looking as panicked as ever.

"Ash!" I yelled as I neared my bedroom on the staircase. I had that feeling again, to be scared for Ash. If what Jason said was true, Ash might have been asleep forever, dieing. "Ash!" I ran into my room, seeing Ash in the same position as before. I ran to her and held her hand. "Ash, Ash wake up." I shook her a little bit, trying to wake her back up. I felt her face and rubbed her hand. No reaction. "Ash, Ash wake up. Come on Ash."

She still wouldn't move. I felt a very faint pulse, her breathing normal. But still.

"Ash wake up," I said, sitting her up. She was like a rag doll now. She laid against me as I continued shaking her. "Shoot."

"Is she okay?" Shane asked, running in from the elevator.

Jason ran to where we were and felt Ash's pulse. "How's she doing?"

"I don't know," I said, trying to keep calm. Failing. "She's not waking up."

Aiden held onto Shane scared for Ash as well. "Are we too late to save Ash?" Aiden asked in a quiet voice.

I held onto Ash tight, my arms around her from behind. I felt like I never wanted to let go until I knew she was awake.

"She's okay for now, still alive," Jason told. "Luckily, I think I saw something about an antidote back in the lab. You guys better come help me."

"Right," Shane said, getting up.

They left me here, probably because they knew I wanted to stay here with her. My best friend, asleep forever. Even though I knew Jason was on the way with an antidote for her, I was scared to death right now. My eyes were trying to leak out tears, but I blinked them away.

"Ash?" I asked, trying to wake her up quietly. "Ash, if you can hear me, please don't give up on us yet, okay? Jason's gonna make something to wake you up. You'll be just fine, okay?" I layed my chin on her shoulder, hugging her. "Don't worry Ash. I'm your best friend and I'm not gonna let go of you that easily. I promise."

-**ASH'S POV**-

"Please get an A, please get an A," I chanted with my eyes shut, fingers crossed.

Nate laughed and then Mr. Wilson came, giving us a paper with an A on it.

"Yes!" I said to myself, my hand in a fist. "I got magic powers yeah!"

"You seem happy," Nate laughed, looking at the paper on our table.

"Well duh, we didn't fail!" I cheered with a small laugh. "But because of that stupid sleep poison, you were left with all the work while I probably dreamed of counting sheep."

"Don't worry about it, Ash. Besides, it's one Biology grade. We're still partners, so there'll be more things for us to work on."

I smiled, hugging him. "Thanks so much."

Blushing he instantly put his hands between us, trying to push me back. "Okay okay let go or Mr. Wilson will see us."

I smiled let go, punching his arm. "Just be glad I'm no longer dozing off most of the day. I like being awake."

And it was true. Staying up late was fun, but I really do need to sleep more often if I wanna stay active. I mean, being sleepy was soooooo annoying! Whenever I get sugar rush, I'm twice as exhausted when it's over, and I keep messing up missions. Plus my grades had fallen during the course of time... okay like that makes a difference. Not to mention Nate kept worrying about me, trying to keep me up during my classes, asking if I was alright. But hey, Nate's my best friend. I'd expect those kinds of questions when I was in that state. But that goes to show how much he cares about me. I could have sworn that while I was asleep, I heard him say, "_Don't worry Ash. I'm you're best friend and I'm not gonna let go of you that easily. I promise_."

Of course I could have been dreaming. I wonder if it meant something, though... Hm... Oh man, I'm dozing off again!

"Ash," Nate said, waving a hand in front of my face. "You sure you aren't sleepy anymore?"

I laughed and swatted his arm away. "Oh quit it." The bell rung and we started getting our books together.

"Hey Nate, Ash," Jason said from the door.

We looked up. "Hey Jason!"

"Guys you've gotta see this," he said smiling and almost laughing.

Nate and I looked at each other and followed Jason out of the classroom. The three of us ran down the halls and out the cafeteria doors. There by one of the tables we saw a bunch of students with signs and shirts, protesting.

"What the," Nate said, blinking.

"See?" Jason said with a small laugh. "Is this awesome or what?"

"Is this gonna be a good thing or a bad thing?" I whispered suspiciously to Nate, feeling the wind go through the loose ends of my hair under my hat.

"A good thing my dear Ashley," Shane answered for Nate, appearing behind me and Nate then coming inbetween us. Shane draped his arms around our shoulders with a grin. "Me and a couple of the others started up a protest against the uniforms."

"Wow," Nate said, seeing how many students there were as more signed their names on the petitions at the table. "That's, a lot of people you managed to get to cooperate together... How?"

"Oh little brother, all it takes is a little hard work, some good leadership, _awesome_ hair, and, perhaps eh, a little bit of bribing to probably seventy percent of these kids," Shane said, proud of himself, that is, until the doors opened.

We all looked, seeing Ms. Autumn bringing out Principal Koel. "This is where all this noise is coming from," Ms. Autumn said.

Shane's face sank as I glared at my one hated teacher. "Figures she'd be here to ruin it," I muttered under my breath. Oh if only I had laser vision...

"What in heaven's name is going on?" Principal Koel asked, stepping up with his arms crossed. He saw the signs people holding. "Ah, the uniform dilemma I see."

"You should all be suspended!" Ms. Autum added, pointing an arm at every single of us.

I looked up and saw the peach tree, that gave shade to the entire place. It was weird how it was still growing so healthy in such cold weather. Deciding not to think about the job of a plant expert I saw a peach right there and smirked, aiming my watch discretely.

Nate looked at me. "And what are you doing?" he whispered, knowing I was up to trouble.

I chuckled, having my aim perfect. "Saving Shane's protest." I fired the tiny laser and it the peach's stem, making it fall right onto Ms. Autumn's head. A bunch of students 'oooh'ed and some laughed. Eventually another student threw one of their lunches at her, starting another food fight. Then again, what else is new? Jason pulled us behind a table so we wouldn't get caught in the cross fire.

"Figures _you'd_ be the one to start the food fights," Nate mumbled, making me grin sheepishly. All the students were laughing as Ms. Autumn was the main target, rather than Principal Koel.

"Alright alright! No uniforms!" he shouted.

Ms. Autumn looked at Principal Koel in shock. "What did you-" She got hit in the face with a mayonnaise covered sandwich.

"Score!" I said with a grin, punching the air.

Shane high fived me as we continued throwing random stuff from lunch.

Jason shook his head. "At least things are back to normal, Ash being all active."

Nate nodded, seeing Shane and I join the food fight. "I guess it is. Thanks for making that antidote for Ash. You had no idea how worried I was."

"Yeeaah I think I do know," Jason laughed, making Nate roll his eyes.

_

* * *

_

_NEXT CHAPTER.._

_"We have to supervise his daughter's concert," Jason explained to me._

_-_

_"I just realized my true love," Nate sighed out, making me spit out my water while the guys' jaws dropped. "I'm telling you guys, it's like we were born to marry."_

_-_

_I sighed, admitting defeat. "I guess you're right. I am worried about Nate. I mean, he just said he wanted to marry her!"_

_Jason turned his head towards me. "Do you not want him to marry?"_

_I didn't respond for a moment and whispered, "No."_

_-_

__

She smirked. "Nate, be a gentleman and finish off your best friend here?"

He smiled. "Anything for you."

"NATE!" I screamed, shutting my eyes.


	10. Face the Music Pt1

_When on a mission for body-guarding the pop singer, Tia, Nate 'falls in love' with her, as it turns into an obsession. Ash tries not to let her jealousy get in the way of the mission. Meanwhile, Nate partners up with Sharmane in a dance contest to impress her, but can't dance. So he has Ash try to teach him before the competition._

* * *

**Chapter 10: Face the Music Pt.1**

It was lunch period at school. I exited my last class and went down the hall towards the cafeteria.

"Hey Ash!" called a familiar voice.

I turned around, seeing Nate running towards me. I smiled and waved. "Hey Nate."

"Geez you're fast," Nate said, catching his breath.

I laughed and patted his back. "Don't faint on me now."

He brought his head up and laughed. "Sorry, I just had P.E and I'm exhausted."

I resumed walking. "You're a spy. How can P.E be exhausting?"

"Look over there," Nate said as we passed the cafeteria doors.

I looked towards where he was pointing and saw a poster up on the wall, and a bunch of people crowding around it. When they left, I went up to it, Nate following. "Dance Competition?"

Nate nodded. "Yeah, it's a yearly thing they do here at school. Shane and Jason told me about it last night. _This_ is why I'm so tired. At P.E the teacher was teaching us how to dance."

I starred at him. "Boy am I glad I don't have P.E right now."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh."

My eyes widened. "Did Shane and Jason mention you get $2,000 dollars in 1st Place?"

Nate shot his head back at the poster. "No they did not."

"Oh gosh, can you believe what I can do with $2,000?" I asked, already imagining.

"No, what?"

My mind drew a blank. "Actually I don't know. Never really thought about it."

Nate laughed. "Figures you'd give that type of answer."

I crossed my arms. "And what about you? What would you do with $2,000?"

Nate smiled, looking back at the poster. "I'd use it to get us more variety for our spy gadgets."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, nice cause. We can complete any mission thrown at us, even without _special new high tech gadgets_."

He laughed. "Well good, because I can't dance."

I looked at him. "What do you mean? You used to dance a lot when we were 12."

"Yeah, _12_," Nate said. "I'm sorta self conscious about it."

"Then how did you get past P.E?"

"I didn't," Nate laughed. "I kept tripping over my partner's feet because I got so nervous from dancing. I even slipped on the ground."

I fake gasped. "Oh my gosh, is this Nate Gray being clumsy?"

He gave me a look. "Shut up Ash."

I laughed and placed my arm around him. "But seriously Nate. You _can _dance. You just need a little... re-teach."

"Re-teach?" he asked confused.

I nodded. "Yeah."

I was pushed to the side, only for Nate to catch me before I could fall. I looked back and saw Sharmane with a pen. "Oops, sorry. I didn't see you there, Ashley."

I glared daggars at her, Nate still holding me up. "Maybe because you're too focused on your nails."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"A-Are you signing up for the Dance Competition?" Nate asked with a slight blush. My turn to roll my eyes. Here we go again.

She nodded with that plastic smile. "Yes. But right now I'm partnerless."

"So why are you even signing up?" I mumbled, only for Nate to drop me and make me squeal as I hit the ground.

"I can be your dance partner if you want," Nate said, walking towards Sharmane.

She smiled, signing their names onto the poster. "Excellent. We're doing Tango. Later Nate."

"B-Bye Sharmane," Nate said smiling like an idiot.

I picked my head up and blew some hair our my face. "Yeah, thanks, I'm good. Don't worry about me. I just fell on my face."

Nate helped me up with a nervous sorry look. "Sorry Ash, but you had no idea how nervous I was."

"How is it you're a great spy, but you're a nervous wreck when it comes to Sharmane and dancing?"

"Um..."

I shook my head. "Never mind."

"But there is one problem."

"What?"

"I can't dance."

I starred back at the poster then at Nate, and back and forth. Finally, I burst out laughing, holding my stomach. Sweet, sweet karma!

"What?" Nate asked with an annoyed voice.

I stopped laughing. "Sorry. But you've gotten yourself into this mess, Nate."

"Can you at least try and teach me something? Please Ash?"

I starred at him for a second and sighed, my hand on the back of my neck. "Fine, but only because you're my best friend."

He grinned. "Awesome! I so owe you later."

I laughed. "You have no idea, Nate."

Our watches started beeping, making us look at eachother. But before either of us could say anything-

"GUYS!" Shane yelled, tackling me to the ground, knocking me over with Nate watching.

Jason caught up and starred at me and Shane on the ground. "What happened-"

"Don't ask," Nate interjected.

I pushed Shane off me and rubbed my head. "Geez, how many times is my face gonna meet the floor in one day?"

Shane stood up and pulled me up with him. "Sorry Ash. We got a mission."

"They know. Their watches beep too, Joe," Jason said as if Shane was a kid.

Shane shook his head, pulling me. "Whatever! Let's just go already!"

--

"So what's the mission?" I asked, walking into a man's condo with Shane, Jason, and Nate.

"We have to supervise his daughter's concert," Jason explained to me.

I made a face. "Any specific reason?"

"Yeah. Last time at his concert, the guys went crazy over her," Shane said, using his hands with his explanation. "He says a masked person tried to kidnap her."

My head jumped. "Wow."

"We're hoping the kidnapper will come at her concert," Nate continued. "Then we'll take him out, and mission completed."

I smiled. "Well this one seems like a piece of cake."

The man who called for us opened two doors, revealing a huge room. "Here's where you'll be staying."

"Thank you," I said with a nod.

"Hi daddy," said a girl who came up behind us. She was wearing designer clothing with curly blonde locks. "Are these our guests?"

He nodded. "Yes. Would you mind introducing yourselves?"

"I'm Shane. These are my brothers, Jason and Nate."

"This is my best friend, Ashley," Nate added. "She's our other teammate."

"Nice to meet you all," she said sweetly. "Thanks for coming. If it wasn't for you guys, I think I would be too scared to play at my own concert."

"Don't worry, you're in good hands," Shane said with a wink, making Jason roll his eyes.

"Alright Romeo, don't need to make a move on the pop star," Jason said, making Joe laugh.

"Well, is there anything we should know?" I asked as her father left.

"Well for one, my name is Tia," she introduced, mainly to Nate. "Hi."

"Hi," he said back, being the polite guy he usually is.

"Is it me or does she like Nate?" I whispered.

"I think she does," Shane answered, seeing them talk.

Jason pondered, starring at the girl. "I don't know about this. She looks a little familiar."

Shane looked up at his older brother. "She does?" He looked at her. "I don't recognize her."

Jason starred for a minute before shaking his head. "Oh well. Probably just me."

--

"Alright Tia, ready for sound check?" one of the women asked. Me and Nate were asked to escort Tia to sound check. Shane and Jason didn't think they had to go since the place wasn't so far.

"You think she sings good?" Nate asked as they set up.

I shrugged. "I dunno. I never heard her sing. But if she can get so many guys in a frenzy at just one concert, I suppose she is."

Nate looked at me. "You know, with us having used to love everything about music before, how come I never heard you sing?"

I thought for a moment. No one's ever heard me sing before, except my Mom. She's special. Not even Nate has heard me. And yes, before Nate became a spy, fighting bad guys and saving the world, _music_ was our passion. I guess it isn't now so much as it used to be because of high school and G.R.A.Y work.

"I guess it's because it's something... lost I guess," I said.

He looked at me. "What do you mean by that?"

I smiled at him. "Sorry, girl secret."

He rolled his eyes and we focused our attention back to the sound booth. It as weird how all the workers around here were women. Oh well. Tia started to sing, her voice echoing around the room. She sounded OK I guess, for a hip hop kinda thing. What I didn't notice was Nate just standing there, in a trance. I made a face and waved a hand in front of him. He didn't even flinch when I tried to poke his eyes, which I wouldn't really do. I mean, that'd hurt. It wasn't until I slapped him upside the head that he fell on the ground. Talk about weird.

--

"How was the sound check?" Shane asked as we entered the room. Well, I was dragging Nate by the arm.

"Weird," I answered.

"Beautiful," Nate sighed out.

Jason and Shane starred at the dazed Nate then looked to me. I just shrugged. The whole way here, all he could do was stare at Tia like a lost puppy.

"What's with him?" Jason spoke up, almost afraid to ask.

"I don't know, but I don't want to find out," I said, walking to my bed and grabbing a water bottle.

"I just realized my true love," Nate sighed out, making me spit out my water while the guys' jaws dropped.

"He what?" Shane asked, looking at me.

I wiped my mouth. "What are you talking about, Nate?"

"Tia," he said to me. "She's like an angel from heaven with that voice of her's."

Jason made a face and Shane still looked to me for answeres, answeres which I didn't have at the moment.

"Now Nate, love is such a strong word," Jason said, unsure of what to say at the moment.

"Nope," Nate said, still smiling like an idiot. This might be even worse than when he sees Sharmane... or is it? See this is how confusing it is? "I'm telling you guys, it's like we were born to marry."

"Marry?" Jason asked as if he didn't believe him.

"Marry?" Shane and I repeated.

"Yeah," Nate answered.

Shane and Jason starred at eachother and had their 'guy talk', mute. Sorta like what girls do, except they talk with their hands since no sound will come out of their mouths. I starred at all three brothers when went up to Nate, Shane and Jason watching intently. Nate didn't even notice, since he was too busy starring off into space. I smirked and put my water bottle upside down, pouring it all onto Nate's head. His eyes shut and his mouth hung open as the water poured out. Shane's and Jason's mouths hung open as well. Weren't expecting this, that was for sure. Before anyone could say anything, I smiled and walked out of the room, leaving them confused.

--

It was night right now, and I was in my pajamas, thinking about stuff. The wind from the city blew into my face as I looked out into the street lights from my balcony. I saw a shadow on the floor and turned my head, seeing Jason there. "Hey Ash."

I nodded and replied with a small, "Hey."

He walked up beside me and looked out to the view like I was. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just thinking about some things, I guess," I said, not knowing the answer either. "I suppose whenever I don't know what to do, I always go outside."

Jason nodded. "I see." There was a short pause. "Is it about Nate?"

My head shot up. "About who now?"

Jason laughed. "You know what I said. And don't worry, Shane and I are just as surprised too."

"From what? The fact he's going all lovey-dovey over Tia or that I poured water all over his head."

He laughed again. "Proabably both. But I know that out of the three of us, you're the most worried."

I sighed, admitting defeat. "I guess you're right. I am worried about Nate. I mean, he just said he wanted to marry her!"

Jason still wore that smile on his face. "Of course you'd worry about that."

I looked at him. "Well Nate's my best guy friend. You don't really wanna hear them say they wanna marry a girl."

I looked back out to the city and Jason turned his head towards me. "_Do_ you not want him to marry?"

I scoffed. "Of course not. He's only a kid and it isn't even legal."

Jason made a small glare. "No. Not legally, personally."

I didn't respond for a moment and whispered, "No."

He smiled, nodding. "There."

"Why? Did you want me to answer no?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I just wanted your personal answer."

I made a confused face. Then my eyes widened. "Are you saying that I'm... jealous?"

He chuckled. "And you're supposed to be the smart one."

I slapped his arm hard.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"For assuming that I liked Nate!" I said with a vein under my hat.

Jason smiled, still rubbing his arm. "I never said that, but you just did."

I blushed, realising he was right. Darn Jason and his ways to manipulate words. Must be something you learn in 12th grade. "Well I'm not. I'm just worried about him, like every best friend should."

"You sure about that?" Jason asked in that tone.

I groaned, holding my head. "I am sure, Jaso. But seriously, it isn't like Nate to just fall for a girl all of a sudden, then assume that she is his one true love. _No_ one should ever assume that until they're, like, 20."

Jason laughed and patted my back. "Get some sleep Ash. Let me remind you we're still up for that mission."

I nodded. "I will eventually. Thanks for the talk Jason."

"No prob Ash."

I turned around. "Wait, where's Shane? If anything, he'd love to interrogate me about these things."

Jason laughed, his head down. "He's practicing break dancing inside. He's entering the dance contest too."

I rolled my eyes. "Typical Shane."

Jason laughed and walked back inside. I turned forward and looked at my G.R.A.Y watch. Jason was right. I'm still on a mission. Once that's over with, then I can worry about Nate. Obviously, too late for that.

--

It was the day of the concert. The guys were back stage in their hiding places, in our black spy outfits. And like yesterday, Nate still is in that daze. Tia this, Tia that, gosh if I could I'd spray him with water again.

"Are we all in position?" Jason's voice asked from my earring.

"Yup," Shane nodded.

"Uh-huh," I answered, hiding at the highest point in the room.

"Yeah," Nate sighed out. "I can see Tia from here."

I rolled my eyes. "Duh. We're all _supposed_ to be able to see her. That's why we're in hiding in the first place."

"Ash," Jason said, already getting my point.

"Now," Shane said, "no one jumps out of their hiding spot unless told, _Nate_."

"Why me?" Nate asked, wondering why Shane used his name.

Shane shook his head. "Never mind."

"Can you guys be quiet?" Jason said, shutting them up.

I sighed. Guys can be soooo... ugh. While I waited up in my spot in the shadows, I saw Tia and her father walk into the sound check room. I looked in, seeing as I was supposed to. As I did, I saw Tia hook up this weird device thing to the controls.

__

'Weird. What's she doing?'

Her father nodded. "So this is the famous contraption you've been telling me about."

Tia nodded, smiling. "Yeah. With this, every guy will be at my knees, honoring and praising." She made that giggle. "I know it'll work. It did at the last concert. It even worked on Nate."

I narrowed my eyes at her. What kinda chick was this anyhow? As soon as they left the room, I took out my special G.R.A.Y glasses. I put them on and looked around. I saw visible sound waves coming from that weird device Tia hooked up. "Hypnotism."

"What Ash?" Shane said from my earring.

I ignored them and jumped out of my hiding spot, swiftly landing on my feet, considering how high up I was. Inside the room I walked up to the controls and looked at all the buttons and switches. I saw one and looked at it. "So Tia lip-syncs. " I scoffed. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" I walked around the room, and I saw that weird remote like device that gave off the sounds waves. I touched it and it shocked my hand. "Ow!!"

"Ash what are you doing?" Jason said.

I shook my hand, blowing on it. Note to self, don't touch it if you know it'll shock you. "Not much, but our little miss Diva's nothing but a fake.

"Ash you take that back," Nate said as if angry.

I made a confused face then shook my head. Like I thought, hypnotism. Poor poor Nate, under her spell... laterally. "Shane, Jaosn, listen carefully. You guys got those Sound-Wall Ear Phones, don't you?" Those were ear phones that blocked out sound waves, a G.R.A.Y gadget.

"Yeah?" Shane and Jason answered unsure.

I wore my serious face. "Then put them on."

"Why?" Shaneasked confused.

I groaned. "Just do please?!"

"And Nate?" jason asked.

"It's too late for him," I said, rolling my eyes. "Just do it and I'll explain later on."


	11. Face the Music Pt2

_When on a mission for body-guarding the pop singer, Tia, Nate 'falls in love' with her, as it turns into an obsession. Ash tries not to let her jealousy get in the way of the mission. Meanwhile, Nate partners up with Sharmane in a dance contest to impress her, but can't dance. So he has Ash try to teach him before the competition._

* * *

**Chapter 11: Face the Music Pt.2**

Hopefully they had done what I ordered them to. Anyway, back to _my _problem. I took out my scanner and got the blue prints of Tia's device. I saw the inside and, knowing all about this from studies, knew how to make it reverse. But, since I can't touch it, I can't interfere. "Shoot."

"Hello San Diego!" cheered Tia's voice from the stage. I could hear the crowd going wild, and ate too, from my earring. My hand wnet to my ear. "Nate shut up! Undercover spies remember?!" I half whispered. Hopefully things will go back to normal after the mission.

"Ash what are you doing?" Jason repeated.

I smirked, now having the prints for a new device. "Just hurry up and come to the sound control room. You're in for a big surprise."

Eventually, the guys came. I mean, I knew how to build it, but not _how _to build it, like mechanics and techno stuff. That's Jason's specialty.

"What is it?" Jason asked, walking over to me.

"Yeah, we're missing Tia's performance," Nate added, making Shane looked at him weird.

I rolled my eyes. "Turns out Tia's the bad guy here."

"What?" Jason asked, turning to me.

I nodded my head. "See that electrical device there? It makes the sound waves of Tia's voice draw guys into some hypnotism so they'd be.... obsessed with her or something."

Shane laughed. "Well, gotta give her points for originality."

My face showed no laughs. "Shane."

"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing his neck.

Nate glared at me. "That's a lie."

"It's true," I said in my defence.

"No it isn't. I love Tia," Nate stated. "You're just jealous of her because you can't sing."

I glared at him. "Hypnotism, it's just hypnotism Ash," I gritted through my teeth to myself, clutching onto my scanner, probably breaking it by the second.

Jason took it out of my hands. "I think we got how to fix it right here so don't crush our last hope."

"Tia probably faked that whole lie about 'almost being kidnapped by a masked man'," I said, saying the last part in a girly voice.

Nate still galred at me. I know it was just because of hypnotism, but it kinda hurt, seeing your best friend hating you... sorta.

"Well what about the other thousands of guys out in the crowd?" Shane reminded. "We don't have that many Sound-Wall ear phones to protect them from the sound waves."

"Too late for that," I said, pointing at a big screen on the wall. It showed Tia and her back up dancers, already performing. I put on my G.R.A.Y glasses and saw the sound waves shooting from the stereos.

"So beautiful," Nate said, smiling again.

I shook my head. "There's gotta be some other main switch here that can shut off the stereos."

"Look around!" Shane shouted, making me, him, and Jason run around, Nate just standing there starring at the screen. Okay forget him, he's useless at the moment. We looked through drawers, cabinets, closets. Well, except this one.

"Whoa," I said, Shane poking over my shoulder.

"What is that?" Jason asked, coming up beside me.

In this room, was more controls, but for the stereos. Except on the floor were these lights, like Dance Revolution, one of those video games I used to have.

"Some kinda video game I guess," Shane said.

I looked around the tiny but bright room. "I guess the floor's used as the keyboard for some password." I laughed. "So this is Tia's way of security."

Jason made a worried face. "Well she's good. What's the password?"

I kneeled down and out stretched my hand, pressing a few of the buttons on the floor. I just got a big flashing red light that scared me to death. "Ok this may be harder than I thought. Geez I hate Tia."

Shane laughed and pulled out his cell phone.

"Now what are you doing?" Jason asked. Why Shane would be using his cellphone at a time like this was beyond me.

Shane grinned and music started playing from it. He threw it to us and Jason and I barely caught it as Shane started break dancing in the closet on the buttons, making a bunch of lights go off.

I made a face. "Okay why..."

Jason sighed. "Shane, again I ask, _what_ are you doing?"

"Practicing for the dance contest," Shane said, still break dancing.

I hung my head in shame while Jason rubbed his forehead. Oh Shane. Suddenly, I heard a ding ding from the green lights, and then all the music from the screen stopped, making Tia and her dancers stop. Jason and I starred at Shane, seeing him stand still. "Ok what I do?"

I laughed. "Wow, I guess he got the password somewhere in that dance of his."

"Who knew," Jason added, shutting off Shane's cellphone.

Shane grinned and jumped back out. "See I am a genius."

I nodded. "Right. Now, we better get our new hypnotism device built if we want these guys back to normal, and I mean, normal."

"Shouldn't be too hard," Jason said, looking at the monitor of my scanner.

"Just hurry up and build the darn contraption," I said, wanting to get this over with.

"What should we do in the mean time?" Shane asked, jumping and punching, ready for action.

I smirked. "We get Tia, that's what."

"Oh no you don't," Nate said.

"Oh now you speak up," Shane said with a wave of his arms.

"You'll have to get past me first," Nate said, walking up to us.

I kept my bored expression and flipped him, making him fall to the ground. Jason and Shane starred at me. "What?"

Shane and I ran out, avoiding all the other body guards. Shane kept them busy while I headed for Tia. Her back up dancers screamed while I aimed to kick her, only for her to barely dodge it. "Ugh, lucky."

Tia smirked. "You're smarter than I thought."

I glared at her while the crowed booed, at me. Oh well, blame the hypnotism. "Why are you doing this? Or are you just another whacko aiming to rule the world?"

"Oh no, not the world. Just Nate basically. The rest of the male population is just a bonus."

"And why Nate?" I asked with a weird face.

She glared at me. "Because of you."

"What'd I do?"

"You stole Nate away from me!" she said, aiming to punch me, only for me to move to the left and dodge. Not so much a good fighter. "Why should you get accepted into G.R.A.Y when I didn't?!"

My eyes widened. "You tried out for G.R.A.Y?"

"So that's how she looked familiar," I heard Jason say from my earring.

"I would have been the only girl in Nate's team, and _we_ would be the ones together!"

"What's it with everybody assuming I'm with Nate?" I said to no one as I dodged another punch. "And no wonder you didn't get accepted."

"ARGH!" Tia yelled, attempting to punch me again, and again. "A little help here!"

I saw some guys come up from the audience and try to fight me. But I just kept dodging, not wanting to hurt any of them. "You're such a coward Tia, using people like this."

She smirked, watching with her arms crossed as I was losing. "Maybe, but at least you'll be out of the way, and _I'll_ be your female spy replacement."

I struggling, two strong guys holding me by the arm. "Let go!"

"Ash!" I heard Shane yell as he was being carried across the crowd. "Let me down from here! I'm afraid of heights!"

"Ok how is he afraid of heights?" I asked at no one.

"Shut up!" Tia shouted, slapping me. My bangs covered my eyes. Gosh that hurt. She is soooo gonna get it when I'm out of here. "Oh Nate?"

I looked up and saw Nate come out from back stage, seeing me in defeat. I looked at him and glared. "You're only controlling him. Nate would never hurt me."

She smirked. "Nate, be a gentleman and finish off your best friend here?"

He smiled. "Anything for you."

Great. I'm about to get beat up by my love sick best friend. How great can this mission get? Darn me and my fear of fighting my friends. I mean, I could get out of here, but not without breaking someone's limb or something.

"Ash how are you holding up?" Jason said from my earring.

"Not so well actually," I breath out, getting tired.

"Shut up!" Tia repeated, luckily not slapping me.

"Ash I finished it," Jason said.

I made a small smile. "Good. Now hurry up before I faint."

"Alright, let me hook it up to your voice. It's the only sound that's in the right key for it to work over Tia's."

"Hurry up," I repeated as Nate got closer.

Tia smirked, waving. "Bye bye, Ashley."

"Nate be reasonable," I said nervously.

"He's not gonna listen to you,"Tia said.

"Nate,"I repeated, as nervous as ever.

He raised his fist.

"NATE!" I screamed, shutting my eyes. I heard his fist make contact, but not with me. I felt the arms holding me let go and something fall behind me. I turned around and saw the guys on the ground, unconscious. I looked up and saw Nate smiling at me. "Come on Ash, you know I can't hurt my best friend."

"It worked!" Jason shouted.

I smiled and threw my arms around Nate, almost pulling him down. "Thanks."

He blushed with a startled expression, but smiled and gave me a quick hug back.

"Nate finish her off!" Tia ordered.

He turned around, his arm around me. "Sorry Tia, I don't punch girls."

By now her face was red and her hair was in a mess. "Nathaniel Gray you leave that girl right now!"

I smirked. "My voice is in control now, Tia. Guys, restrain her?"

The guys got back up and ran to Tia, keeping her in place as she screamed, climbed back up onto the stage while Jason came from backstage.

"Ash you did it!" Jason said, hugging me. "You alright?"

I laughed and nodded. "I'm fine now. And Nate's back to normal too."

"Thanks to that hypnotising sound wave thingy," Shane said.

"Um, yeah, what you said," I said with a laugh.

"Now you've got the rest of the crowd to get back to normal," Nate whispered in my ear.

My face fell as I looked back at the rest of the crowd. "... Shane you better get back in the closet and turn the stereo back on because there's no way I'm gonna yell at every single guy in this stadium."

Shane held up his cellphone. "Way ahead of you."

He ran off and Nate looked at me. "What was he-"

"Don't ask," I said laughing.

--

"Alright, next up is Sharmane Prally and Nate Gray doing the Tango!" the announcer said.

I led Nate to the dressing room, finding the dress and the tux from their hangers. "Alright Nate, you ready?"

"I hope," Nate said nervously. "I hope I can dance without falling."

I smiled. "I taught you well, Nate, you'll do fine. Especially since I hypnotized you into not stepping on my feet during practice. You should have gotten the hang of it by now that I don't have to hypnotize you into doing the right exact dance moves."

"You sure you can't just hypnotize me right now?" Nate asked, his hands sweating.

I rolled my eyes. "No cheating. And besides, this voice hypnotize thing's gotta wear off sooner or later. Speaking of the dance, where is you dance _partner_?"

Nate's eyes widened as he looked around the room. "Oh no she isn't here."

"Please don't tell me you just realised that now."

"Oh no, my dance partner's not here. I'm doomed," Nate said, pacing back and forth until he stopped, looking back at me. "You."

"Me," I said unsure. "Why you looking at me like that?"

"Ash you know the dance. You and Sharmane can fit into the same dress. Be my dance partner before we get disqualified."

"What no way. I'm not gonna dance out there."

"Isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" Nate asked, feeling deja vu.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure Sharmane will get here soon enough-"

He threw the dress over my head. "Too late. Now come on."

Before I could respond, I heard the door close as Nate walked out with the tux. I pulled the red tango dress off my head and blinked. "The things I do for my best friend."

After I got into the dress and did my hair, the dance competition was a piece of cake, except we had to change the name of Nate's dance partner from Sharmane to Ashley. And for some reason, I was kinda happy that Sharmane didn't come.

--

"Let me out!" Sharmane's voice shouted form the janitor's closet, the door locked with a G.R.A.Y lock, Shane's lock.

--

"See you're a good dancer," I said as he held me at my back and hand.

"I guess because I'm comfortable with my partner," Nate said, holding me down as I bent my back, only for him to pull me back up, twirl, me, and end in a pose. The crowd cheered and clapped while the judges wrote down our score. And I'd have to say, we did pretty well.

"Nice going guys," Jason said, handing us water bottles.

"Thanks," I said, placing the cold water bottle against my head. "Oh this feels good."

Nate laughed. "At least it's over with."

"We have our winners!" one of the judges said, gathering everyone's attention. "The winners are, the dance team of Shane and Aiden Gray!"

Everyone cheered once again while Jason, Nate, and I looked at each other. We threw our water bottles over our shoulders and ran up to the front. We saw Shane and Aiden accepting a giant gold trophy, them wearing gangster clothing and huge sun glasses.

"Wow," Nate said, smiling.

I laughed. "Definitely Wow." Oh well, at least one of us won this thing. And, I got to dance with Nate... Yeah it is wow. And... was I really jealous before?

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Leaving already?" my mom asked, watching TV with her legs up on the table._

_"Yeah, heading out with Nate," I answered simply, the two of us rushing out the door._

_"Well come back soon. We have a visitor."_

_I poked my head back into the house. "We have a what coming when?"_

_--_

_Nate laughed at my scared expression. "Shane here thinks he knows Ember."_

_--_

_Shane sat down beside Jason. "She wanted me to make the choice. Make her move away, or make her stay with us. If she stayed with us, she'd have her memory wiped. No way I was gonna agree to that. So, I did the only thing left I could think off."_

_"What'd you do?" Nate asked, knowing Shane's last resort wasn't one of the best._

_Shane looked down, his hands in his pockets. "I broke off our friendship. I got us into this fight and I let her walk away."_


	12. Ember Pt1

_A new girl, Ember, comes to move in with Ash and her mom, and now Ash thinks she'll have an even harder time of keeping her secret of being a spy. But, Shane seems to know the new girl already. Will Ash's secret be blown while she's in the middle of a G.R.A.Y investigation with the others? In a side story, Ash has to make a drawing for the opening of the art museum._

* * *

**Chapter 12: Ember Pt.1**

I was in my room, doing my math homework with Nate.

"Knock knock?" I looked and saw my door open, my mom there.

"Hey mom," I said with a smile, putting down my pencils.

She nodded. "Hi Ash, Nate."

"Mrs. D," Nate said with a salute, making me laugh and hit him with my pencil.

"I just got this in the mail," she said, handing it to me. "It's for you."

I made a face as she held the letter out. "Am I in trouble?"

She laughed. "No more than usual. Anyway I gotta jet. Later guys."

"Bye," we said as she closed my door. "You know Ash, you have such a cool mom to actually take trouble as a good thing," Nate commented.

I chuckled, opening the top of the envelope. "Yeah. That's just because all that she wants for me is to do my best at what I want to do."

"And that is?"

"I'll tell you once I find out," I said, making Nate laugh. I finally got the envelope opened and I took out two papers. One was a flyer. "Hm? What's this?"

Nate took it from me and his eyes flew across it. "It's an invite to the opening of an art gallery at the mall this Saturday." He looked at me. "How'd _you_ get this?"

I smiled and took the flyer back. "Before the store closed down so it could become an art gallary, it used to be a room decorator arts crafty kinda place. It's sorta where I got all my materials for my hats and jewels."

"Ah," Nate said, nodding. "Explains how you have to many countless cat ear hats."

I laughed. "I guess since I'm such a common customer there, the owner's inviting me to the grand opening of its revamp."

Nate leaned over and read over the second paper. "Hey look, it says that you can make a huge drawing and then if it's good enough, they'll hang it up there."

I smiled, reading the paper too. "And you read that part out loud why?"

"Because, you should make a drawing," Nate said. "I know you're really good at that."

"Oh please," I said, rolling my eyes. "I stopped drawing ever since my dad died. I probably lost all my skills by now."

"You stopped a lot of things when your dad died," Nate said more gently.

I looked at the flier and and dropped my hand back on my lap. "Yeah."

Nate suddenly felt a surge of guilt go through him. "Um, sorry Ash."

I looked back at him with that faint smile of mine. "It's ok. You're right. I stopped doing a lot of my favorite hobbies ever since my dad died." My eyes dropped back down to the flier. "Maybe I should try this thing, see what it feels like."

Nate smiled and placed an around my shoulder. "That's the spirit."

I sighed. "If only I knew what to draw."

"Don't think about it too much. The inspiration will come eventually."

Laughter came out. "Unless a-" my watch started beeping and I held my smile, "mission comes up."

Nate stood up. "We better get going then."

I nodded and took Nate's hand, standing up. We walked out of my room and down the stairs.

"Leaving already?" my mom asked, watching TV with her legs up on the table.

"Yeah, heading out with Nate," I answered simply, the two of us rushing out the door.

"Well come back soon. We have a visitor."

I poked my head back into the house. "We have a what coming when?"

She laughed and turned her head at me. "Remember? I left a note up on your desk yesterday."

I blinked, having a flashback with Nate.

__

"Thanks for volunteering to help clean my room guys," I said as I led Shane, Jason, and Nate up the stairs. "My Mom's gonna kill me if she catches even a glimpse of it."  
Jason laughed at my exaggeration. "No problem Ash."  
Shane nodded. "Yeah. With how Nate told us the story, there was no way we could say no-"  
Nate elbowed Shane, but I wasn't paying attention anyway. I opened my the door to my room and the guys starred at it all. My clothes were all over the floor, all my cat ear hats were scattered on my bed, and a bunch of papers were piled up on my desk.  
"And I thought my locker was messy," Jason commented.  
I grinned sheepishly. "See?"  
"You call this a mess?" Shane asked, cracking his fingers. "This is easy."  
I made a face at him. "And how do you propose cleaning all this is easy?"  
"Yeah. I'd like to know how too," Nate said, thinking the same as me.  
"Let's start of with the desk," Shane said, walking over to it. Me, Nate, and Jason watched as be brought over my trash can and bulldozed everything off the table, all landing inside the trash can.  
"So you filled up her garbage can?" Nate asked.  
Shane laughed and turned to me. "Ash, isn't this the trash can we gave you for Christmas?"  
I nodded slowly. "Yes. Why?"  
Shane took out a lighter form his jacket and lit it up, throwing it into my garbage, starting a bon fire. Jason, Nate, and I jumped back from the mini explosion. All we could heard was the crackling of papers. My eyes widened. "Shane what are you doing?!"  
Shane scoffed, waving his hand. "Ash relax. We wouldn't have given you such a boring looking trashcan for an international holiday if it didn't have any special features. Look, it's fire proof!"  
I blinked, starring at the flames while Nate slapped his forehead. "Maybe you should leave cleaning up your room up to me and Jason."

"Um, right, desk," I said, grinning with a laugh.

She nodded. "Riiight. Just be back by 8 o'clock."

"Hehe, will do Mom!" I said, only for Nate to pull me out of the house and shut the door before I could let the secret spill by accident. We ran down the block and to the fire house at the corner. Entering the house, we saw Mr. Gray, Jason, and Shane sitting there.

"Hey, sorry we're late. Ash's Mom held her back," Nate said for me.

"It's ok," Mr. Gray said while we sat down.

"So what's today's mission Mr. G?" I asked, clasping my hands together.

He pressed a button on the remote and their flat screen TV came out of the wall, showing clips. "See these? It's the art gallery at the mall."

I starred at it. "Wow. We read about it, now we have a mission on it."

"Um, are the paintings supposed to look like that?" Jason asked, seeing a couple clips with the paintings with graffiti on them.

Mr. Gray shook his head. "No. You're gonna try and figure out who did it and put an end to it."

"Any suspects?" Nate asked.

"No," Aiden said, sliding down the fire pole.

Mr. Gray looked at him. "And how do you know this?"

Aiden walked to us. "My friend's brother works there as a security guard. He says he saw one of the paintings being vandalised. But the weirdest thing was, the graffiti was appearing on it's own. No one was holding spray pain cans, no people in dark black clothing with ski masks were there. It just appearing like seeping blood."

I starred at Aiden. "Wow that's some imagination you have Aiden."

"I'm serious," he said. "I think it's ghosts."

"Aiden you know there are no such things as ghosts," Mr. Gray said, placing a hand on his head. "So you guys up for it?"

I nodded. "If I'm going to the grand opening, I guess it's good to take a look at it."

"We're in," Nate said, agreeing with me.

We headed out and went to the mall, not to far from here. Don't know why I don't go to the mall so much. Oh well.

"Here's the... art... gallery..." Shane said, looking up. For an art gallery in a mall, this looked so huge, as if a second mall.

"This is pretty big for a place not even open," Jason said, looking at the windows.

"Come on. We better get in," I said, walking up to the doors. We entered and saw the place empty except for the workers. The paintings with the graffiti were still there, untouched, for investigative purposes.

"Ah, thanks for coming," a woman said, walking to us. "You are the G.R.A.Y agents?"

Nate nodded. "Yeah. I'm Nate. This is Ash, Jason, and Shane. We're here to help investigate?"

She smiled. "Thank you for coming. My name is Emily. Feel free to look around."

"Oh yeah," Nate said, stepping up. "My friend here saw one of your flyers, for submitting art."

I felt a blush coming onto my face. "N-Nate!"

"Oh it's perfectly fine if you want to submit something," Emily said with a wave. "If our little graffiti exhibits don't scare off the audience first."

Once she walked away with us smiling and waving, I slapped Nate upside the head.

"Ow, why with the hitting?" Nate asked, holding his head.

I shook my head. "Forget it."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Artists." I raised my hand and Nate leaned back. "Ok please don't hit me again."

"Hey guys, look at this," Shane said, calling us over. Nate and I stopped fooling around and went to where Shane was. He took off his G.R.A.Y glasses and handed them to me. "Look at the painting."

I made a confused face but did as he said. I put them on and I looked at the painting. "I don't see anything I can't see without the glasses."

"Exactly," Shane said. "No finger prints, nothing. It's like Aiden said, the graffiti just appeared there."

"That's strange," Jason said, looking at the painting. "You don't think there's some truth to what Aiden said do you?"

Nate laughed. "Come on, Jason. You're supposed to be the oldest. Surely there are no ghosts behind this."

I looked at my watch. "You guys continue without me. I have to get back home."

"This early?" Jason asked, starring at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, apparently we're having visitors. My mom left me a note before but _somebody_ burned it before I could even notice it existed."

Shane made a nervous smile. "Sorry."

"Want me to walk you home?" Nate asked. "It is dark out anyway."

"No it's fine-"

"Actually we can all go," Shane said with a grin and thumbs up, causing Nate to make an annoyed face for some reason. Jason laughed.

"Uh, am I missing something here?" I asked, starring at all three brothers.

Jason shook his head, still smiling. "Forget it Ash. Let's just go. We got enough observations for a first day."

--

"I'm home!" I called into the house as it echoed. "I brought the guys with me since they won't leave me alone!"

Nate laughed and hit my arm, making me laugh too.

"Hey Ash," My mom said, coming in from the kitchen.

"So, where is this visitor you told me about?" I asked, clasping my hands together as I looked around the room.

"Upstairs," she answered, walking away. "She's sharing a room with you."

I made a face. "I'm sharing a what with who now?"

"NEW PERSON!" Shane shouted, running up the stairs.

"Shane wait! Don't scare the girl!" Jason shouted, running up after him.

I groaned and grabbed Nate's hand, rushing up the stairs myself. "No one go to my room! Hey!"

My mom laughed, watching the stampede of teenagers run up her stairs. "Oh boy."

We all raced up the stairs, pushing eachother out of the way, attempting to get to my room first, since there was a stranger waiting in there. We kept pulling eachother's shirts, tripping eachother's ankles, jumping over eachother's backs. Wow this was a long journey up the stairs.

Eventually the guys ended up at my door and knocked it over, literally. I ran over and saw the three on eachother, all on my on collapsed door. And there was a girl sitting on another bed in my room, obviously surprised. I shook my head at the guys. "I know you guys can get violent and knock over various pieces of furniture, but at least do it at your house where you are actually _allowed_ to do that."

"Um..." the girl said, dropping a box she was holding, or previously holding now that it's on the ground.

I made my nervous grin. "Hehe, sorry about these guys. You'll get used to it."

She nodded slowly. "Uh, right. You're Ashley?"

I nodded and walked over the guys and into my room, making the guys groan, but I didn't care at the moment. I held out my hand, her shaking it. "That I am. These are my friends, Jason and Shane. And this is my best friend, Nate."

The girl smiled. "Nice meeting you all. My name's Ember Fervens."

I smiled back. The girl seemed cool. She was about our height. And her eyes were a cute brown while mine stayed black. Her hair was long brown hair, opposed to by short black hair. But her's had blonde and red streaks! How cool is that? Hm, maybe I should streak my hair too. But either way, I could tell this girl was unique like the guys and me. "Wow. I think we're gonna get along well." I turned back at the guys who broke my door. "Rights guys?"

"Um, yeah," Jason said nervous, standing up.

Shane narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute-"

Nate got one of my apples from my desk and stuffed it in Shane's mouth. "Quiet Shane," he gritted through his teeth, smiling to cover up.

Shane took the apple in his hand, coughing. "Nate gross! It's plastic!"

"Then we'll get you a real one back at home," Jason said, pushing Shane out of the room and down the stairs.

Nate looked around and then picked up my door, placing it up against the wall, unsure of what to do. "Um, sorry to leave so early but, um, I'll come help fix the door later kay Ash?"

I made a confused face. "Um, alright?"

"Sweet, thanks Ash. You rock," Nate said, rushing out of my room.

I blinked then Ember and I looked at eachother, shrugging.

"So, the guys call you Ash," Ember said, picking up the box she dropped.

I kneeled down, helping her. "Yeah. I just think the name Ash sounds cooler than Ashley. You can call me Ash if you want too."

She smiled. "Ok then."

I smiled back. Wow a lot of smiling today. "I like your name, Ember. Sounds unique. Especially with your hair."

Ember laughed, twirling part of her hair with her finger. "Thanks. It's all because of my name actually that my hair got the streaks."

I looked at her. "Do I want to know?"

She shook her head. "Eh I'll tell you eventually. But, uh, nice friends."

I laughed, standing back up. "Don't worry about them. They're normal that way. Being the only girl through, it can get pretty hectic."

"I know the feeling," Ember said, placing the box onto her bed.

"If you don't mind me asking though, why are you here?"

"Oh, sorry. Forgot that part of the explanation," she said, hitting her head. "See, I used to go to an all girls school out of the state. By now my dad's work is traveling all over the place and I can't follow. So he sent me here since he knows your mom."

"Oh," I said, blinking. "Well welcome to New Jersey."

Ember laughed. "You know, you're the first person to actually welcome me to the state."

I grinned. "Well don't I feel special."

I spent the rest of the night helping unpack the rest of Ember's stuff. While I was placing stuff up on the top shelf, I heard my watch go off, startling me and making me fall off the footstool, making a bunch of papers fly around.

"Ash you alright?" Ember asked, looking at me on the floor.

I adjusted my hat. "I'm good." I looked at my watch, turning off the beeping. This meant I had to go to the guys' house. "Sorry, but I need to be somewhere. Shouldn't take too long."

Ember nodded and I walked out of the room, not having to open the door since, well, it'll have to be fixed later.


	13. Ember Pt2

_A new girl, Ember, comes to move in with Ash and her mom, and now Ash thinks she'll have an even harder time of keeping her secret of being a spy. But, Shane seems to know the new girl already. Will Ash's secret be blown while she's in the middle of a G.R.A.Y investigation with the others? In a side story, Ash has to make a drawing for the opening of the art museum._

* * *

**Chapter 13: Ember Pt.2**

"What do you guys want?" I asked, walking into the fire house. I saw Nate, and Jason sitting on the couch with Shane pacing. Well, he stopped pacing since I came in.

"Ember, that's what," Shane said, as if aggravated.

"... Am I missing something here?"

"Sit," Nate said, moving over so I could sit. "Here's the sum up I got so far."

I made a face. "Oh boy."

Nate laughed at my scared expression. "Shane here thinks he knows Ember."

I looked at Shane. "Joe that true?"

"I think so!" Shane said as if panicking.

"So why do you seem like she's your mortal enemy?"

Jason chuckled. "Actually Ember kinda is."

Nate looked just as confused as I was. "She was?"

"Yeah," Jason answered. "This happened a long time ago, around the time you two were 8."

"Ah," I said, knowing I was probably too young to have remembered this weird teen nonsense.

"Shane and Ember had sorta a rivalry with each other," Jason tried to explain. "But they were good friends too, like you and Nate are. Except you two don't fight a lot."

"So what's the problem?" Nate asked.

"Ember had to move away," Shane resumed for Jason. "And you know how hard it'd be to see your best friend go away forever."

Nate and I looked at each other, imagining what it'd be like if we had to be separated.

"And, it was sorta because I had to join G.R.A.Y at the time," Shane continued. "I was 12, and I just joined. And around that time, there were _no_ girls in G.R.A.Y."

I arched my eyebrows. "Okay _that_ I didn't know."

Shane nodded. "Yeah. And Ember was starting to get suspicious. So they were gonna wipe her memory."

I shrugged. "So?"

Shane gave me a look. "_So_, at the time the memory wiping technology wasn't as good as it is now. If she had to have her memory wiped, she wouldn't even know me."

My face changed. I never knew someone as carefree and funny as Shane would have to go through something like that. "So what happened?"

Shane sat down beside Jason. "She wanted me to make the choice. Make her move away, or make her stay with us. If she stayed with us, she'd have her memory wiped. No way I was gonna agree to that. So, I did the only thing left I could think off."

"What'd you do?" Nate asked, knowing Shane's last resort wasn't one of the best.

Shane looked down, his hands in his pockets. "I broke off our friendship. I got us into this fight and I let her walk away." Shane paused. "If anything, it was just as painful as having her memory of me gone."

"Wow," I said with sympathy.

"M-Maybe it's not the same Ember," Jason said, trying to cheer Joe up. " I mean it could be someone else."

"No, I _know _it's Ember," Shane said in his defence. "I told Ember one time when we were little that she should streak her hair yellow and red when she was old enough, so it'd match her name, Ember. Seeing her now, seems she lived up to her promise even after all this G.R.A.Y craziness."

"Well, the memory wiping technology's more advanced now," Nate brought up.

Shane shook his head. "No, I don't want to do that. I-I mean, I don't want to keep any secrets from her."

"Shane-"

"No Nate," Shane interjected. "Of all people _you _should know what I'm going through, keeping the biggest secret of your life from your best friend." It made me think back to when Nate had to hide it from me, which wasn't very long. "But Ash figured it out because of Aiden, and we trusted you enough to keep the secret."

"Actually it was because Nate begged and begged," Jason remembered.

Shane looked at Jason. "You got my point."

"Why don't you just tell Ember then?" I said as if it were the most obvious choice in the book.

"No!" Nate and Jason quickly objected.

"Why not?" I asked as if they were crazy.

"Because," Jason said. "We can't have anyone else know about this unless they're spies themselves. I mean, Ember's cool and all but she can't be a G.R.A.Y spy. And we can't bend the rules for anyone."

"You bent the rules for me for a couple years," I pointed out.

"Well you were the best friend of the boss's son," Nate reminded, referring to himself.

"Same with Ember!" I said, taking Shane's side.

"Yeah, I've gotta tell her," Shane said, standing up, only to be pulling back down by Nate and Jason.

"No," Nate said before sighing. "Let's just leave it at this. If you want, just let her figure it out on her own. Maybe she gave up on her suspicions. I mean, what girl believe in their best guy friend being an operative spy for a secret organization for so many years?"

"Hello?" I said, waving.

"Well you knew it was the truth," Nate corrected.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going home. We still have that art gallery mission we have to finish up."

Jason gave me a look while I stood up. "You better not tell Ember anything."

I held my hands up. "Don't worry. I'll keep quiet."

"Ash-"

"Sorry Shane," I apologized. "Let's just let things flow and see where it goes from there. We did that with me and look, I'm a spy." I smiled. "Things will end up just fine. And if it doesn't, expect someone with a broken arm." And with that I shut the door.

Nate rubbed his left arm. "Why don't I feel any better about that last threat?"

Shane groaned and laid back onto the cough, hanging his head.

--

The next morning, I was eating breakfast in my kitchen. I had a mission to complete, a secret to keep, and a drawing to finish. I can't even come up with something to draw yet.

"Morning," Ember said, walking down the stairs.

I looked up form my toast. "Morning Ember. Here, take a seat, take my toast. I'm not all hungry."

She laughed and took a seat across from me. "Do you always get up this early?"

"Nah. I just did today because I need some inspiration."

"Really? For what?"

"I have to make this drawing for the grand opening of the art gallery at the mall," I answered. "But I still don't have any ideas." I looked at her. "Ember, you seem like a girl with a wide open mind. You got anything?"

"Well, I'm not you. So I can't tell you what to draw," she said. "But if you want help, it helps drawing something that you really care for. When you really want to sketch the thing, that's where you do you best."

After a few seconds I nodded. "Right. Thanks for the advice."

She nodded, looking at the toast. "... That Shane guy." My head froze. Great, now who's side am I on? "Um, is his last name Gray?" she asked.

I blinked. "Why do you ask?" _'Nice cover Ash, nice.'_

She shook her head. "Never mind. Forget I asked."

"Um, if you say so Ember," I said awkwardly until I heard the alarm clock go off upstairs. I laughed and stood up. "Better turn that off before my mom wakes up." I went up the stairs and Ember followed. I arrived in my room and looked around, looking for where the alarm clock was. "Great, now where'd I leave it?"

"I think it got mixed up with my stuff when we reorganized yesterday," Ember said, just as confused as I was.

"Oh," I said, pouting. "Well, we better start looking. Help me."

We went through all the cardboard boxes around, some mind, some hers. I was gonna be moving a few things out of the room to make some room for Ember. As I looked through some boxes for that stupid alarm clock, I noticed Ember starring into a box as if in a trance, but I shook it off.

"Ah-ha! Found it!" I cheered in victory, holding up the alarm clock as I shut it off. I grinned until my watch went off, scaring me and making me drop the alarm clock.

"Y-You found it?" Ember asked from all the startleness.

I laughed nervously, trying to get the beeping from my watch to shut off. "Um, everything's fine. Now it's my, uh, watch's alarm I gotta worry about." I banged on it and made the beeping stop. I got up and went to the door. "Sorry to run off again, Ember, but I need to go somewhere... again."

"Wait," she said, grabbing my shoulder.

I stopped and turned around, seeing her holding one of my green and yellow cat ear hats that matched my current outfit. "You don't wanna go out there without one of your trademark hats, do you?"

I smiled, placing it onto my head. "Thanks." I noticed behind her and the box she was looking at previously. On it was written in green marker ASH'S PICTURES. That was where I kept a lot of the pictures of the guys and me. I knew she saw some of Shane in there. She could read it in my face too what I was thinking.

"Shane's watch went off a lot back then before he used to run off suddenly," Ember said, breaking me out of my trance. "Go, but be careful."

I smiled and hugged her, surprising her. "Don't worry too much about us." And with that I ran off, leaving her with a surprised expression before a smile came onto her face.

--

"What took you so long?" Nate asked as we ran to the art gallery at the mall at 7:00AM.

"Sorry," I apologized, running. "Got held up back at home."

Jason looked at me. "You didn't tell did you?"

Technically I didn't say anything. "No." I noticed Shane frown at my answer. I knew that he really wanted to tell Ember about G.R.A.Y and try to repair their friendship. Well, I'll be the glue that puts them back together right after this mission. "So tell me again why we're running so early in the morning?"

"I placed a mini camera in the art gallery yesterday," Nate told me. "I saw something in there, the graffiti was starting again by it's self."

I made a face. "And how exactly did you catch that?"

"Nate spends a lot of time on his computer when it comes to spy stuff, Ash," Shane reminded me.

Eventually we made it to the mall without anyone noticing. We ran into the art gallery, Nate leading. And it was pretty dark, seeing it was still early morning, not to mention no one was even here in the mall yet. We made it to the painting that Nate had told us about, but the graffiti was already there, done.

"Shoot, we missed it," Nate said, glaring.

I put on the G.R.A.Y glasses and scanned the painting. "No signs of anyone being here. At this rate, every single painting in the gallery's gonna be ruined."

"Not every one," Jason said, looking at the ones still untouched. "Look at the artist of this one."

"Kunst Arry?" Shane read at the bottom right corner, having trouble pronouncing it. "Who's that?"

"I think I learned about him in history," I said.

"Since when do you remember anything in history?" Nate commented.

I gave him a look.

"Sorry, sorry, continue."

I shook my head, resuming my explanation. "He was a Danish artist, very famous. He died a while back, but his paintings aren't really worth as much as they used to."

"And where is this headed?" Shane asked.

"To Aiden's original idea, a ghost," I said, making the guys stare at me. "What? It could be true."

"Ash that has got to be one of the most insane ideas you ever came up with," Nate said.

I blinked and looked down, seeing something red dripping from behind Nate. "Then what's that?"

Nate turned around and I went behind him. "What is it?"

"Nothing, unless you consider a huge blob of red paint on the back of your jacket something," I said, poking at it with my fingers. "At least I hope it's paint," I mumbled, shaking my hand.

"I guess the ghost doesn't like you very much Nick," Shane added, looking at the red stuff on Nate's jacket that appeared out of no where.

"What are we supposed to do now? We're spies, not psychics," Jason said.

I looked at the other unharmed paintings, all belongs to Kunst Arry. Yup, no doubt about it. "Don't worry about not being psychic. I've got an idea," I said with a grin.

The guys starred at me like I was crazy. "And what exactly did you have in mind," Jason asked, unsure if this was a good idea.

--

"7,400! Do I hear a 7,400!"

I smiled, watching the auction.

"Wow, I never knew the mission was that easy to complete," Nate said as we walked through the art gallery.

I nodded. "Yeah, just auction Kunst Arry's paintings. All he really wants is for his art to be known world wide." I laughed. "Now the poor soul who buys it is gonna have a haunted room."

Nate laughed with me. "So did you find out what... to... draw.." In front of us was a bunch of people in a mob, all crowding around something. Me and Nate looked at each other then ran into the crowd. Finally, we got up to the front and Nate's mouth hung open while I just smiled.

"Like it?"

"Like it?" Nate repeated. In front of him were four framed works of art. The one at the top was a portrait of Nate and Jason with guitars and Shane with a microphone and tambourine. Then the three under it were individual portraits of the guys, all done in pencil. "Ash this is amazing. H-How'd you make all this?"

I smiled, admiring my work. "Ember told me that if I want to draw something really well, it has to be something that I care for a lot. What better than to draw you guys?"

"I would have though she meant material objects," Nate said with a slight laugh.

I shrugged, still smiling. "I thought so, too, until I found some pictures from when we were 12, when you guys used to perform a lot. Remember when I was the photographer and you guys posed that one day?"

Nate laughed, remembering that. "I thought these scenes looked familiar." He turned his head towards me. "Told ya you were good at drawing."

"... Yeah. I guess I am," I admitted. "Speaking of the portraits, where _are_ the others?"

"They're at the food court," Jason said, walking to us. "I didn't know you two would stay here this long. It's like you two were on a date or something."

Nate and I blushed. "We're not on a date."

Jason laughed. "Right. And by the way nice drawings, Ash."

I smiled, blushing. "Hehe, thanks."

Jason nodded. "Alright. Now let's go. I left Shane and Ember alone at the table."

I made a face as we started walking. "You're not afraid if Shane will tell Ember about G.R.A.Y?"

Jason shook his head. "I guess we shouldn't be. You got a point, Ash. If Nate can trust you with the secret for so long, maybe we can do the same with Ember."

I smiled. We went to the food court and saw Shane and Ember sitting at a table, talking and laughing with their sodas. I smiled, seeing them back together. "Hey, turned out pretty good."

"At least they're not fighting," Nate added. "Maybe they got their friendship back together while we were gone."

Jason smiled. "Let's leave them alone for now."

I looked up at him. "Jason are you _trying_ to set them up?"

"No. Too late for that anyway," Jason said, looking back at Ember and Shane. "Isn't it obvious?"

Nate looked back at the 'cute couple', if so. "I guess."

I blinked. "And I thought it was supposed to be the girls who played matchmaker."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_I glared, my fist unable to get through. I looked up and saw the calm face of the man, my glare softened though when I saw his eyes. "Shane?"_

_He let go of my fist. "Took me 8 years to actually learn how to block your punches."_

_I lowered my fist. "What? S-Shane what are you doing here? Why do you look older?"_

_"I should be asking you that. Except, let me rephrase that: Why do you look younger?"_

_--_

_The mysterious man sighed and turned his chair around, his calm face suddenly startled. Mine was too. "Ash?"_

_I blinked, starring. "Who are you?"_

_The man stood up from his chair and walked towards me. I knew he wasn't an enemy so I didn't run. Instead he pulled me into a hug. "Ash, it's me, Jason."_

_--_

_"How'd I end up in the year 2016?"_


	14. Flashforth Pt1

_Nate, Shane, and Jason are in a fued, much to Ash's annoyance. One stormy night, Ash is transported into the future 8 years from her time. When she finds that the guys are still fighting after all this time, she also finds out one of G.R.A.Y's prisoners escaped, and time traveled to get to Ash. There is no sub-plot in this story._

* * *

**Chapter 14: Flashforth Pt.1**

"I still can't believe it," Ember said once more as we got to my house from school.

"Can't believe what? That the Grays are actually spies?"

She laughed a short laugh. "I've had my suspicions before, but knowing it's true is still kinda hard to get used to. And looking at you Ash, you still seem like _you_ haven't even gotten used to it yet, either."

I smiled upwards. "You have no idea."

Entering the house, my mother was out, probably at work. We arrived back up in my room and threw our school bags beside the door.

"Do you have missions everyday? Because during the whole course of the week, this was the _one _day that you actually went through your entire school schedule without any G.R.A.Y interruptions," Ember pointed out as she collapsed in her bed, folding her arms under her head to stare at the ceiling.

I nodded, sitting at my desk backwards on my chair. "Yeah. Kinda rare these days. So I don't take them for granted, having some down time." I sat at my computer chair. "Don't get me wrong. I love being a spy, but I love being a normal teen, too."

Ember nodded, pondering. "I suppose you've got a point there."

I stared up my computer for school work. The small lights came on as I waited for the screen to appear. "Yeah, but there is another reason."

Ember looked at me from her bed. "What's that?"

A frown appeared on my face. "The guys are fighting right now."

Ember arched her eyebrows, sitting up again. "As in guys you mean Nate, Shane, and Jason?"

"Who else?"

"Well that's just pain wrong. They never fight!"

"Tell me about it." The computer started up, and I began to type up a report.

"Seriously. Even when Shane and I were kids, they never fought. Well, they did but never over something serious." Ember turned her head towards me, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "It isn't anything serious is it?"

"My guess is that it is," Ireplied, turning my chair around. "Didn't you notice that during the entire school day they wouldn't talk to each other, at all?"

Ember looked down. "Not really."

I made a face. "Geez you can be as oblivious as Shane sometimes."

She made a small glare. "Hey."

I chuckled. "More like him everyday."

Ember shook her headat my nonsence. "Still. What are they so mad at each other about?"

I shrugged, my typing fingers coming to a halt. Up to know I didn't really know why I was doing this report in the first place. "I don't know. Maybe it's a guy thing. If it wasn't, they would have gone to me, especially Nate. I mean, we're best friends. And best friends tell each other everything."

"They didn't tell us about G.R.A.Y," Ember reminded.

"Yeah but we know about it now," I said quickly. "Maybe we should just keep out of it. Probably something that's just gonna blow over and we'll all be back to normal by tomorrow morning." In the midst of the short lived scilence ,y watch started beeping. Ember and I looked at each other, knowing what that meant. I took in a deep breath. "Duty calls."

Ember nodded in understanding as I ran towards the door. "Say hi to Shane for me."

I stopped and turned around, smirking amusingly. "You so like him."

A blush as red as her name appeared on her cheeks. "You're crazy."

I grinned and flashed a peace sign with my hand. "And proud of it!"

She shook her head as I darted out of the house.

"I'm here!" I called into the house, expecting to see my whole G.R.A.Y team in the living room, waiting for me like always. Except this time, I only saw Mr. Gray and Aiden sitting there. I blinked as my smile faded a way from my face, being replaced with a confused expression. "Um, where's the others?"

"Still not talking," answered Aiden, just as upset as I was about the matter.

"So what? No mission?" I asked surprised.

"Well there _was_. I needed you guys to go after an escaped G.R.A.Y prisoner. You remember Chrono, don't you?"

"The crazy dude who wanted to bring back dinosaurs?" Aiden asked with a face.

"Ew," I shivered. "No wonder you want him back in prison."

"As I was saying before, I was about to send you guys off to find him, but since the boys won't come down-"

"What? If you don't want the guys coming with me because they're fighting I'll just slap them silly if they mess up no prob! Just please don't make me go on this mission alone."

"Chrono really creeps out out this much?" asked Aiden.

"I've never seen the guy before but from what Nate told me, he does creep out."

Mr. Gray laughed. "Don't worry Ashley, there is no mission anymore. But I do want to know if you know anything about what's going on between the boys."

I pouted as my hand went to the back of my neck. "Sorry, Mr. G. I don't know why they're ignoring eachother. I tried talking to them at school but that didn't work."

"Me too," added Aiden. "Nate even locked me out of his room."

I starred at the youngest Gray. "Don't you two share a room?"

"Yeah," Aiden answered, making me blink with a clueless expression.

Mr. Gray shook his head. "Would you mind taking Aiden over to your house? At least he'd have someone to be with during the night since his brothers are 'so busy'."

I smiled and nodded, standing back up with a salute. "Anything. I'll consider it a mission of my own!"

Aiden grinned. "I should sleep over at Ash's house more often. We can mess up the blender again in the kitchen-!"

"Go pack up your stuff won't you?" I cut off, covering hsi mouth and soflty pushing the boy out of his couch seat.

Aiden got his stuff from his room, which took a while. You see the door was still locked, so Aiden kept knocking, telling Nate he needed to pack his things. Nate just kept throwing out random stuff he thought Aiden would need and barely keep the door open long enough for me to knock it down. Same old stubborn Nate. Even Jason's and Shane's room were locked. Well, Shane was staying in the basement since he seemed to be too mad at Jason to share a room with him... Oh well.

"I'm home!" I called loudly, closing my umbrella. A few drops of rain fell onto the welcome mat in front of the door.

"So soon?" Ember spoke up, coming down the stairs. "And you're soaking wet."

I grinned. "Good thing I wore a hat, eh?"

Aiden laughed, soaking wet himself. "On our way here it started raining."

Ember made a faint smile. "Come on, I'll help you guys dry off." Bits of thunder roared as Aiden and I walked into the kitchen to get some towels. During that, more thunder and lightning came from what was showing behind the curtains. We all looked up, seeing the light flicker from the light bulbs.

"Is that supposed to be good or bad?" Ember asked, looking up.

"Depends on what you want I guess," I answered, not so sure. "Maybe I should get some flashlights. Might be a black out soon." Dropping my towel onto one of the kitchen chairs I walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Thunder continued on as the lights flickered more and more thorghout the house. I guess it was a good thing we didn't have a mission right now. I made it to the bathroom and shut the door, force of habit.

"Flashlights, flashlights," I said, looking through the cabinets. For some estranged reason my mom and I came to the conclusion that we should keep out flashlights in our _bathroom_, whatever the reason. As I was searching, I heard extra loud thunder, like a bomb exploded. I screamed, along with Ember and Aiden downstairs. But who wouldn't? Also, the lights went out, so I was in total darkness. And from the shock, I hit my head on something. "Ow!" I cried in a high but whispering voice. I didn't want to scream. After rubbing my head. I stood back up, or at least tried to. I kept my hand on the side of my head to ease the throbing feeling. It was dark so I had a hard time trying to find out what to grab onto. After I found the sink and dragged myself up to my feet, I reached for the doorknob and opened it.

"Ow," I moaned, rubbing my head as I walked out. "Note to self: don't leave the flashlights in the bathroom." I shook my head and looked up. Left and right down the hall, something was... different. "Weird."

"Who's there?!"

I screamed and turned around, punching whoever said that. It was some man I didn't know. And with me being a spy, it was a reflex for me to punch a person who sneaks up behind you. "Alright you creep, what are you doing in my house?!"

He shook his head and sat up, rubbing his forehead. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at me, his eyes widening. "Oh my gosh."

"Don't _oh my gosh _me. Now what are you doing in my house?" I said, still in my fighting position. He stood up and I started back up. "I'm warning you, I can fight!" I attempted to punch him, but he caught my hand with ease.

"Yeah, I know," he said calmly.

I glared, my fist unable to get through, but eventually I looked up and saw the calm face of the man, my glare softened though when I saw his familiar eyes. The image of my friend Shane reflected in the man's expression. "Shane?"

Feeling the tension disappear, he let go of my fist. I let it fall back down to my side. "Took me eight years to actually learn how to block _your _punches," he said.

I regained my footing. "What? S-Shane what are you doing here? Why do you look older?"

"I should be asking you that. Except, let me rephrase that: Why do you look _younger_?"

I made a face. "Shane you're acting kind of weird... Then again I may be wrong." He gave me a look while I just gave him my usual grin.

"Shane who's screaming-"

I looked, seeing a woman with short spiky gelled hair. Except this woman's hair was black with some yellow and red streaks... wait, streaks? "Ember?"

She saw me and her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh..."

"Yeah that's how I reacted," Shane said.

I blinked, backing up to the wall, which wasn't as far as three steps. "Wait, what's going on? Why do you two look older?"

Shane looked at the bathroom door. "I'd like to know why, too."

I still held the confused expression on my face. "Well, where's Jason-"

"Don't say his name," Shane snapped, suddenly angry, making me jump.

Ember had a vein and whacked Shane in the head. "Jeez don't spook her." She looked at me. "Sorry Ash. Shane seems to still have some issues with his brothers."

I pouted. "Geez, you guys are still fighting?"

Ember shook her head. "But Ash has a point, Shane. Let's go see Jason. He might answer some questions we have as to why Ash is even alive."

"Ash is even what now?" I asked, giving her a look. I've _been_ alive... Haven't I?

Ember groaned, grabbing my hand and pulling me. "Come on, I'm driving."

"You can drive now?" I asked as we were I was dragged down the stairs. After I got to the living room, my head jumped. All the furniture was rearranged and everything. Just what the heck happened to my house? And where was Aiden anyway? We walked outside into the fresh air, and I noticed the suddenly perfect wheather, birds chirping and white couds flying above us.

"Hey what happened to the rain?" I asked absentmindedly looking up. That is, until I looked forward. "Oh, my, gosh." In front of my was a silver car. Except, without wheels. A car with no wheels..... great.... "How exactly do you drive this?" I asked slowly.

Ember laughed and opened the door as if nothing were wrong. She seemed amused by my facination of technology. "Get in. Shane doesn't wanna come."

Decing to go along with this, I sighed and climbed into the wheel-less car, if it's even _called_ a car anymore. I was about to ask again how she would drive until I heard a weird sound. "Why do I hear a weird hovering sound?"

"Maybe because we _are_ hovering?" Ember answered, adjusting the rear view mirror.

My eyes widened as I looked down, seeing we were going upwards a few feet. I picked my head up and we started flying forward like a jet, the first few seconds of me screaming. "AHHHHHHH!"

Ember parked in front of a house while we lowered to the ground, me breathing heavily. "Geez, you make Shane driving a car seem safe."

Ember laughed. "It's kinda weird really. I can drive a car but not a hovar. Shane can't drive a car but he can drive a hovar. Fits a bit I suppose."

I starred blankly at her. "They're called hovars now?"

She laughed and pulled me out of the car. We walked in front of a simple looking house. Ember rang the doorbell. When I expected for the door to open, the welcome mat we were standing on disappeared and we fell through. Ember and I started screaming upon falling until we landed on something soft. A mattress. The lights turned on like big spotlights and I looked around, seeing a big computer room. Almost like the control room.

"Um..." I stammered speechless.

Ember sat up and made a face, rubbing her head. "Jeez Jason. Just because I know you doesn't mean you have to let me inside though the tunnel."

"Sorry, force of habit," said a man from a chair, busy with work.

"Ember, where are we?" I asked, the keyboard typing suddenly stop at the sound of my voice.

Ember grinned proudly. "The secret headquarters of G.R.A.Y."

"Ember, who'd you bring?" the man asked annoyingly. "You know you're not allowed to bring anyone here."

"Another reason why you shouldn't let me in by the welcome mat," Ember stated with her hands on her hips. "Anyway, you might wanna turn around."

The mysterious man sighed and turned his chair around, his calm face suddenly startled upon seeing me. Mine was too. "Ash?"

I blinked, starring. "Who are you?"

Ember smiled, looking back up at the stranger. "Shane and I found her."

The man stood up from his chair and walked towards me. I knew he wasn't an enemy so I didn't run. Instead he pulled me into a hug. "Ash, it's me, Jason."

My face didn't change, but I closed my eyes and hugged him back, smiling. Good to know Jason's doing good.

"Aw, this is so sweet!" Ember sighed out.

"Ember where'd, how'd, why'd-"

"Ha, so I finnaly stumped the boss of G.R.A.Y!" Ember yelled with a pointing finger

I starred up at Jason with a bewildered face. "You're boss?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I was the oldest son so it seemed right."

I sighed, rubbing my head. "Would someone please tell me why everyone looks so older?"

Jason laughed. "And you were supposed to be the smart one. Isn't it obvious?"

"If it was obvious I wouldn't be panicking on the inside," I remarked with a smile, suddenly grabbing Jason's shirt and pulling him to my face, replacing my innocent smiling face with a serious one. "Now what's going on here?"

Ember got me to let go of Jason. "Jeez must you want to punch every guy you come into contact with?"

Jason straightened up his shirt. "Well for one, I have no idea _why _you're here, Ash. But I can tell you where you are."

"And that is?" I asked with crossed arms, expecting a logical answer-

"You're in the year 2016."

I stayed as still as a statue. I didn't make any facial changes, I didn't move an inch. Jason poked my forehead and I fell backwards into the mattress on the ground.

Ember blinked, looking downwards. "You sure know how to break the news in an easy way, Jason."

"Shut up."

I opened my eyes, seeing myself in a living room. I sat up, looking around. Didn't look familiar, but at least I wasn't in that control room anymore. "Phew... it was just a dream."

"No, wasn't," Ember said, popping up behind me and making me scream. Ember laughed. "Man I can so get used to this."

I pouted. "You're supposed to be an adult and yet you act like a kid!"

"Well that seems to be reasonable when you live with Shane for eight years," Ember shrugged.

I groaned and rubbed my forehead. Jason walked in with hot chocolate for me. He knew it calmed me down. "Thanks Jason. Even as an adult, you still haven't changed that much."

"I could say the same for you," Ember said, looking at me. "You still look like a kid."

"Actually," Jason said, "I sorta have a logical explanation for that."

Ember and I looked at him. "You sure it's logical?"

"Yeah," Jason nodded. "Time travel."

I starred for a few seconds. "Yeah, that is _soooo_ logical."

"Ash," Jason said in a stern voice. "I'm serious. How else would this explain your disappearance?"

"What disappearance?"

"Yeah, we all thought you were dead," Ember whispered quietly.

"Whoa whoa, hold up. _Dead_? As in D-E-A-D? Like, 'up there'?"

"Yes _dead_," Jason repeated as he nodded, like explaining it to a three year old. "It happened eight years ago."

" What _it_?" I asked, getting creeped out by the minute.

"It happened durring the storm," Ember told me, trying hard to recall my so called 'final moments'. "Remember when you went up the stairs to look for flashlights?"

I nodded. It was only so recenlty. "Yeah?"

"You never came back down," Ember resumed. "You just disappeared after we all screamed. We sent search parties out for you. Mr. Gray had all the agents looking for you but no luck."

"B-But I..." Was that what seriously happened? I turned to Jason. "B-But you. And Shane. A-And... Oh my gosh, Nate. What's happening with Nate right now? I-I didn't see him yet."

"Calm down, Ash. Nate's fine," Jason assured wiht his hands on my shoulders. "At least I think he is."

I whacked him upside the head. "You idiot what do you mean _you think_?! What kinda older brother are you anyway?!"

Ember laughed in amusement. "I ask Shane that question every day."

Jason's hand rubbed his head. "Listen Ash, if you haven't noticed, we're still fighting."

"Over _what_?!?" I asked as if they were crazy, in which I could be right, oh so right.

Jason inhaled. "Ash that is none of your business. But either way, Nate, Shane, and I don't talk to each other anymore. Especially after your disappearance. And that's that. By now the only way we talk is through Ember and Aiden, but we still in a feud and there's nothing you can do any time soon to change that."

"Gosh boys can be so stupid," I said bluntly. "Except for Aiden. He seems so smart right now compared to you guys."

"Finally someone agrees with me!" Ember said, high fiving me. Jason gave her a discouraging look.

"Anyway," I started. "How'd I end up in the year 2016? I was getting flashlights, then the next thing I see, I'm in this whole new future."

"My guess is that it was all because of Chrono," Jason said. "He might have been trying to get revenge on us eight years ago. He probably sent you here so that he could get to me, Nate, and Shane."

"Well did he?" I aksed worryingly.

Jason shook his head. "I've never seen him again. And I doubt Shane and Nate have. They quit the spy business some time ago, a little bit after your disappeared."

"Wow," I said, laying back. But then my eyes snapped open. "Wait."

'What?" Ember asked.

"Chrono," I said, starring wide. "I-If I'm here now, h-he's going to go after me."

"What?" Jason asked, confused.

"Hello?! If I were back in my time I would be trying to find desperate attempts at getting you, Nate, and Shane back together! With me gone, he's gonna try and get rid of me here in the future and then go back to the past and get you guys!"

Jason blinked. "Hm, that evil plan actually makes sense."

I pouted. "You sound surprised."

"I am."

"Now I know how Shane feels," I said with a sad face.

Jason shook his head and got the remote, flashing it at the table. It turned on like a screen, except with a pop up hologram.

"Wow," I said. "And I thought a flat screen TV was gonna pop up."

Jason and Ember laughed as if I just told a hilarious joke.

"Haha, I forgot she still uses flat screen TVs in her time," Ember laughed out.

I glared then shook my head. "So Jason, what am I looking at?"

"Chrono," he answered. "I couldn't track him down before. But now that you're here, he's gonna be here too."

"Does this Chrono guy even know where _you_ are?" Ember asked.

"He'd expect for me to be at my house but," I looked at her. "Apparently you and Shane live there now."

"Found where he's heading," Jason announced, observing the screen. "The fire house."

"The fire house?" I repeated, looking at the glowing map in the table, seeing a blinking red light. "Wait, who's living at the fire house?"


	15. Flashforth Pt2

_Nate, Shane, and Jason are in a fued, much to Ash's annoyance. One stormy night, Ash is transported into the future 8 years from her time. When she finds that the guys are still fighting after all this time, she also finds out one of G.R.A.Y's prisoners escaped, and time traveled to get to Ash. There is no sub-plot in this story._

* * *

**Chapter 15: Flashforth Pt.2**

"Clean up! Clean up!" a 14-year old boy shouted, running around the living room, trying to make everything perfect.

A 22-year old man walked into the room, seeing his 14 year old little brother panicking and arranging the couch pillows. "Ok what are you doing?"

"We're having visitors!" the teen said as if it were obvious.

"How do you now we have visitors? You didn't prank the criminals at the G.R.A.Y prison again did you?"

The boy laughed. "No."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I did that last week," he asked, making the man give him another look.

"Alright, who is it? A girlfriend?"

He threw a pillow at his older brother. "You're crazy. You know I don't like any girls at my school."

"Riight," he said with a nod, his hands in his pockets. "Seriously, who's coming?"

"Jason called," the boy said.

"What?" the man said in a serious tone. The doorbell rung.

"I'll get it!" the excited 14-year old shouted, running to the door.

"Wait! Don't answer it!" the man called, slapping his forehead. "Jeez why does he have to be so much like me when I was his age?"

"Whoa," he heard his little brother say. The man shook his head, walking into the kitchen to get away from the nonsense

"Ditto," I said, looking in front of me. Aiden was practically my size now. "Frankie is that you?"

"Jason wasn't lying when he said I'd have a surprise visitor," Aiden said, standing at the door shocked.

I smiled and hugged him. His voice didn't mature yet so it was kinda cute. He should be 14 now. Finnaly, Aiden let me in.

"Ah, the old fire house," I said, looking around the living room. "Don't tell me you live alone."

"No, I live with Nate," Aiden said, rushing into the room. "But uh, how are you even here? Let alone looking like that?"

I laughed. "Time travel."

"Uh..." Aiden said, starring at me. Gosh he reminded me a lot of Nate.

I only laughed even more. "Anyway, did you see any bad guys lately?"

"Wanna be more specific?" Aiden asked.

My head jumped. "Aiden are you a spy?"

He gave me a thumbs up. "Two years in a row!"

"Aww you grow up so fast," I cooed, pinching his cheek. "It's as if it were this morning came over for a sleepover during that storm. Oh wait, it _was_ this morning! Well for me anyway."

Aiden swatted my hand away while I just laughed. Gosh no kidding when they say you grow up fast.

"Aiden who's at the door-" said a man, walking into the room. Me and him locked eyes, starring.

Aiden grinned. "Told ya she wasn't my girlfriend."

"S-She..." he said.

I recognized those curly brown locks anywhere. "N-Nate?" I chocked out. For some reason I felt so happy to know he was ok. Then out of no where, I ran to him, hugging him with small tears running down my face, like a lost child running to her best friend for comfort.

"Ash?" he spoke.

I sniffled and just held tighter.

"I'm surprised too," Aiden said. "Now based on what Jason told me, you ran off and drove a hovar."

Nate looked down at me. "You drove."

I laughed and let go, wiping my eyes. "So? At least I can drive better than Ember."

Nat shook his head. "Ash please don't do anything so stupid like that?"

I crossed my arms. "You do know I'm very bad at listening right?"

"Well I'm 22. And if I'm right you're still 15."

"Your point?"

Nate laughed, placing his hand on my head. "Same old Ash."

"You're the one that's old," I mumbled with a small smile, making Nate laugh. "Why did you guys fight anyway?"

Nate's face softened. "Sorry Ash. It's a guy thing."

I pouted. "I hate you."

"So why'd you run away to this old place?" Aiden asked.

I smiled. "What? I wanted to visit my two friends-" I stopped, my face coming into realization.

Nate looked at me. "What? We're not your friends?"

I hit him in the side, knocking him over. "No. Chorno."

"Who?" Aiden asked.

"One of the old criminals we chased a while back," I answered. "It's because of him I time traveled in the first place. Now he's looking for me."

"And you came _here_?" Nate asked, sitting up.

"Well where else was I supposed to go?!" I panicked, until we heard an explosion from the wall. The three of us turned out heads and saw a man walk in with a smirk. Chrono. "If you thought I was panicking before you have another thing coming," I said.

Chrono smirked. "Ah, Ashley Drame. I finally have your cornered."

I was about to run at him until he shot something at me. A glowing red net pinned me to the wall. "Ow," I moaned.

"Ash!" Nate shouted, running to me. He touched the net and it shocked his hand.

I saw Aiden press a button on his watch and his clothes changed into his spy clothes. Never thought I'd see the day. He began stalling Chrono while Nate continued trying to get me loose.

"Nate, please stop. You're just hurting yourself," I said, seeing him keep shocking himself.

Nate sat up from the ground, breathing heavily. "I'm not gonna loose you again Ash. Alright?"

He continued trying to punch the wall while I starred emotionless. What he said, those were the kind of sayings that just seemed to comfort me. But seriously, the more Nate tried, the more the net shocked him.

"Nate duck!"

We didn't know who it was that shouted but Nate hit the ground and something hit the top of the net, making it disappear while I fell. I sat up and shook my head and looked up. "Jason."

He smiled, running to us. "You two alright?"

"I'm ok," I answered. "Nate what about you?"

"As long as you're good, I'm fine," Nate said with that same smile, no matter how old he was.

"Ah!" Aiden shouted, hitting the ground.

Chrono smirked. "And the spies keep on coming, no matter what year I'm in."

Then another hole in the wall came, smoke from the explosions spreading. We saw a hovar, with Ember at the wheel. Shane was in the passenger sear, holding on for his life.

"Never again," Shane breathed out. "Next time you drive Ember, drive a car."

"My wall..." Nate said with a face.

Chrono laughed. "All back together I see."

Jason glared. "You better bring Ash back to her time period."

"And why would I do that?" Chrono asked all smart. "Once she's out of the way, you three will be a piece of cake."

Ember frowned. "If the guys haven't fought all those years ago, none of this would be happening."

My ears snapped an idea when I heard Ember say that.

"You'll have to get past us first," Shane said, jumping out of the hovar.

"My pleasure," Chrono said, begining to fight Shane, Jaosn, and Aiden.

"Ash come on," Nate said, suddenly scooping me up, bridal style. I squealed when he did, since it was so sudden.

"Hm, you're stronger now," I commented when we made it to the hovar.

Nate placed me in the back. "Alright Ember, get in the passenger seat. I'm driving."

"What? It's my hovar," Ember said back.

Nate looked at her. "If you want Ash back in her home time period _alive_, I'm driving."

Ember pouted and switched seats with Nate. In no time, we were flying, speeding back to my house. We crashed through my wall, me holding on for dear life. "Ok that was no different from Ember's driving Nate!"

He shurgged. "I was speed flying here. And you think crashing a wall's surprising?"

"Um, YES!" I shouted back.

Ember rushed me out of the hovar. "Hurry, you have to get back to the bathroom. That's where you came in, and it's where you're going back."

Nate and Ember rushed me up the stairs. I made it to the door of the bathroom. "Wait, I think I need lightning."

"Got that covered," Ember said, rushing to a bedroom.

Nate and I looked at eachother and exchanged confused glances.

"Nervous?" Nate asked, seeing me sweat.

"In a way," I admitted, not smiling. "I just can't believe this is what's gonna happen in the future. You and Shane and Jason. I..."

Nate pulled me into a hug. "I know. We're stupid. But after what just happened, I think we're back on good terms now."

I sniffled, feeling tears well up in my eyes again. "How do you know?"

Nate chuckled. "When it comes to you, that's when we put aside our differences."

I smiled and hugged back, Ember rushing back to us with a weird looking gun.

"Ok what is that?" Nate asked,

"Shane's electricity gun," Ember answered, me giving her a strange look. Nate nodded and pushed me into the bathroom, slamming the door. It was dark, and I breathed. I heard the sound of thunder and lightning hit the door, scaring me. I fell back, hitting my head again. Geez what is up with thunder and the injuring of my head.

--

"Ash! Ash!"

I moaned, the side of my forehead throbbing. "Ow my head."

I felt some ice on it. "There Ash, hold that there."

I looked up, getting used to the light in my eye. "What? W-Who's there?"

"Everybody," I heard Jason's voice answer.

"And just for the record, I got the ice," Aiden added, making a few people laugh.

I rubbed my eyes and looked at everyone, all teenagers. I gasped. "Y-You! E-Everyone's not old anymore!"

I threw my arms around Nate, who was right in front of me at the time.

"Ash what's the matter with you?" Nate said, blushing and panicking.

"Maybe she hit her head harder than we thought," Ember said with a strange look.

I laughed and let go, rubbing my eyes since they were a little watery.

"Ash are you crying?" Shane asked. Let me remind you, we're all in the bathroom, which isn't that big.

I chuckled, looking back at them. "Um, I'm sorry guys. B-But uh."

"What?" Nate asked, his hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down.

"I just want you guys to stop fighting. You know, with whatever it's about," I said, giving them a faint smile. "I sorta hard this crazy dream and, it sorta involved you guys ignoring eachother for eight years."

"Aww, Ashley," Ember said, hugging me.

Jason looked at me. "Ash I know we're in a feud right now and all but, there's no way we're gonna hate eachother for eight years."

I laughed, sniffling a bit. "You'd be surprised."

Nate nodded. "You really want us to stop fighting?"

"Nooo," Ember said sarcastically, making me laugh.

Shane smiled. "Alright Ash, we'll stop fighting. But only because we can't stand you crying."

I smiled and hugged them. "Thanks guys."

Aiden coughed. "Um, can we continue our hug-fest _outside_? I'm getting squished against the sink here."

We all agreed and went to the door, all trying to squish through and trying to push eachother out of the way. Oh boy.

--

I was in my living room, watching TV in my pj's with Nate.

"You know, this is kinda weird, considering it's usually you who sleeps over at my place," Nate said, eating some popcorn.

I nodded. "Yeah. But I blame that stupid storm."

"For what?"

I laughed. "A lot of things. You have no idea what that dream was like."

Nate laughed. "Do explain. Sounds interesting since you're smiling."

I nodded. "Alright. After the lightning and hitting my head, it seems I somehow traveled eight years into the future. Turns out I was missing for eight years because of the time travel. Ember and Shane were living together in my house for some wacky reason. Jason's the head of G.R.A.Y in a new house. And Aiden and you live in the fire house. Aiden's 14 so he's a G.R.A.Y operative. Plus instead of cars, they also had hovars, which are like cars except they fly."

Nate blinked. "That's some dream you had."

I laughed. "It is. And to think, you three were still fighting and not talking to eachother."

"Was there a happy ending to this facinating dream of your's?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Remember Chrono?"

"The crazy dinosaur loving dude?"

"Yeah," I said with a laugh. "Turns out he was the one who sent me to the future. He was trying to kill me there but you and your brothers put aside your differences to save me. Then I went back to that time traveling bathroom and woke up."

Nate looked at me. "You think that actually happened?"

I shrugged. "At this point I don't really know." I looked at him. "I did my explanation. Now time for your's."

Nate closed his eyes and hung his head back. "I told you, Ash. It's just some stupid guy thing we fought about."

I sighed, giving up. Then I turned my head, looking around. "Where's everone else?"

Nate looked around too. "I think they're upstairs."

--

"Alright, fine Jason said that Nate liked Ash and obviously he said no so I just laughed and suggested I ask Ash out then Nate went into this angry state and then Jason tried to calm Nate down then it turned into this big fight!" Shane explained in one breath, tied to a chair with the light in his eyes.

Jason slapped his forehead. "Idiot."

Ember nodded, turning off the small lamp and switching on the bedroom lights. "Interesting."

"Please don't tell anyone I said that," Shane said, still tied to a chair.

Ember smiled. "Don't worry. But at least now I know the truth."

"Wow Ember, you sure have a way with interrogating people," Aiden commented.

"You try being tied to the chair then say what you think," Shane said.

Ember looked down at him. "Would you really ask Ash out?"

"What? Noooo. I have someone else in mind."

She made a face. "Who?"

Shane just grinned. "You'll have to guess. But it's kinda be pretty hard since there's a lot of lucky hot babes in school."

Ember scoffed. "Gosh you are so full of yourself."

"I don't see you with any boyfriend."

"Maybe because I'm too good for them?"

"Ah look who's talking, Ms. full-of-your-self."

Jason sighed. "Here we go again."

Aiden yawned, seeing that it was night. "Well, all's well that ends well."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"That's Alex Downing," Aiden introduced. "You'll be helping him out in Lincoln, Nebraska."_

_--_

_"Wait," Aiden said. "Be careful. This Alex guy's kinda creepy a bit."_

_--_

_"No need for someone like you to apologize to someone as arrogant sounding as him," Alex said, taking my hand and kissing it._

_"Alright," Nate said, taking my hand since Alex was kissing it. "We're here for a mission. And we'd like to get to work on the mission if you please," he said, smiling._

_Shane grinned. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Nate's jealous."_

_--_

_I woke up with the light in my eyes. After adjusting to it, I picked my head up. I was in darkness, and there was a spotlight over me. I was laying on a cold metal table, my neck, wrists, and ankles strapped to it. "Where am I?"_


	16. Doll Attraction Pt1

_One their next mission, they must visit Alex, a doll collector, who's dolls have started disappearing. But Alex appears to be attarcted to Ash, much to Nate's jealousy. But, this mission is a lot more than it seems. In a side story, Nate wants to get a tattoo to impress Sharmane at school, making Ash try and persuade him not to._

* * *

**Chapter 16: Doll Attraction Pt.1**

"Alright. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starved," I said, being the first to take a bite out of my sand which once we got to our table.

Nate laughed. "You seem hungry."

Ember laughed. "We had to rush this morning so we weren't able to get any breakfast."

Jason looked at Ember. "So why don't you seem hungry?"

Ember made a sheepish grin. "I sorta ate a pb-and-j sandwich during Ms. Autumn's class."

"What? No fair!" I whined, jealous that Ember was able to eat secretly during her class while I starved all morning.

Shane laughed. "I'm still surprised she ate without getting _caught_ by Ms. Autumn."

"At least we're eating," I said, taking a bite out of my sandwich. "Unlike Sharmane over there."

We looked to the popular corner of the place. There Sharmane sat at her table, adorned by her 'popular friends'.

"Maybe that's why she looks so hot," Jason commented, seeing her outfit.

Ember and I made annoyed faces rolling our eyes as they guys got lost in their own world. I guess I'm not the only one anymore now that Ember's here to endure the pain with me.

"Is it always like this?" Ember asked me.

"Didn't you notice the past time you've been here?" I replied.

"So she's the new girl?" a guy with his lunch said, passing by our table.

I nodded. "Yeah. Still getting used to things around here. Apparently she's just finding out about the popularity social statuses."

The guy nodded, looking at Sharmane. "Understandable. Sharmane is the hottest and most popular girl in school. Everyone, even I like her."

"I can already tell that," Emeber said, starring up at him weirdly.

"Who are you anyway?" I asked.

"He's Josh," Jason told me, coming into our conversation now that he and his brothers were 'out of their trance'. "He's in my Spanish class."

"Say Josh, what kinda guys are Sharmane into?" Nate asked. I rolled my eyes. Of course he'd ask that.

Josh laughed. "For one, she's never gonna be into little kids, freshman."

Nate glared while I just stayed the same, watching this tiredly like a movie.

"Just because I'm a freshman doesn't mean I'm a kid," Nate stated.

Josh nodded. "Uh-huh. You don't look that tough."

"Neither do you," Nate said back.

"I hear a fight coming along," Shane said in a singing tone with a smile. I elbowed him, shutting him up.

The two boys glared while students came around, all chanting fight, fight, fight, fight. I looked at everyone like they were crazy. "Alright alright! Stop this! It's so immature!"

Everyone starred at my sudden loudness then at Shane since he was still chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fi..."

Ember shook her head, holding her forehead.

"Alright then, let's arm wrestle, you and me," Josh said.

"You're on," Nate said, being the competitive guy I've known all my life. All this over Sharmane. The two sat across from eachother.

I crossed my arms and shook my head. "Can guys get any stupider?"

"On three. One, two, three!" Jason said. Nate's and Josh's arms started trying to push the other down. It went, left, right.

"Why guys do this to prove who was stronger is beyond me," I said.

"It's guy code, Ash," Shane said with a nod and crossed arms. "It's almost like girl code, whatever that is."

I looked at him strangely. "Shane I don't even know what that is."

Ember laughed. "If I were a guy I'd get a tattoo to prove who was stronger."

Nate and Josh looked at Ember, making a pause in their arm wrestling match.

I looked back and forth between them and Ember. "Oh no you don't. No one is getting a tattoo."

"Too late," Jason said, seeing Nate and Josh glare at eachother.

"Fine, we'll go with Ember's plan," Josh said with a smirk. "Tomorrow, after school, we'll go over to my uncle's tattoo parlor. Whoever chicken's out first loses."

"Fine," Nate said with the same cocky smirk as the bell rang. Everyone gathered their things and went off into the building, leaving me with my friends.

I went over to Nate. "Nate are you crazy?! A tattoo?! You're 15!"

"So?" Nate shrugged. "This is something I have to do to prove myself."

"What on earth do you have to prove?!"

"Weren't you just watching the whole scene between Nate and Josh?" Shane piped in.

I held my finger up at him behind me. "Shut up not helping."

Nate laughed and shook his head, picking up from books from the table. "Relax Ash. It's a guy thing. You wouldn't understand."

I rolled my eyes and mimicked him, "_It's a guy thing. you wouldn't understand_. Bleh."

Jason laughed at my imitation. "Ash has a point, Nate. You're 15."

Shane slung his arm around Nate. "But think. With a tattoo, you'll get noticed by Sharmane." Nate and Shane grinned, fantisizing about their dream girl.

I felt a tiny surge of jealousy run through me. Wait, _was _it jealousy? I dunno. I've always had this feeling whenever Nate was going gaga over Sharmane. But how come I identified the feeling a jealousy just now? Great, now Jason's getting into my head. As we were all lost in our thoughts, we were snapped out of it by our watches beeping.

"Mission time," Shame said, looking at his watch.

Ember laughed at his's choice of words. "You guys go. I'll cover."

We nodded and headed out of the school grounds. Before I could leave, I felt Ember place a hand on my back. "What?"

Ember made a small smile. "_Please_ talk some sense into Nate? I'm sure you don't want your best friend getting a tattoo for _Sharmane_."

I laughed. "I'll drag him to Antarctica if I have to." And with that I ran after the guys while Ember went into school.

--

"We're here!" Jason announced into the house.

I grinned, running into the house. "Hey Mr. G, what's... up" I looked around, not seeing their dad. "Ok where is he?"

"He's out," Aiden said, coming out of the elevator with a red nose and dressed in his pajamas.

My head jumped. "Whoa, who are you, Rudolph?"

Aiden made a face at me. "Ha ha, very funny."

Nate smiled and turned to me. "Aiden's got a cold."

"Obviously," I said.

"Dad probably left this morning to get some medicine for him," Jason added. "I guess he's not back yet because of the morning traffic."

"Oh yeah," Aiden said before blowing his nose. "He told me to explain your mission for you."

"Wow, big change today," I said, jumping over the couch, followed by the boys.

Aiden sat down on the other couch and picked up the remote, looking at it strangely. "Ok, which button?"

Shane looked over at the remote. "Gosh Dad's remote has a lot of buttons. How does he memorize what each one does?"

"Well he's in charge of G.R.A.Y. Why _wouldn't_ he have a remote like that?" Jason said.

Aiden pressed a button and a disco ball appeared over our heads. I blinked.

"Alright that isn't it," Aiden said, pressing another button. Suddenly the chair Shane was sitting on flipped over and went under the floorboards as if going into hiding. Nate, Jason, and I jumped, starring at where the couch chair used to be.

"Shane you still there?" Nate asked.

"I'm good!" Shane said from under the marble tiles. "Just get me out of here!"

Aiden pressed the button and the floor flipped and the chair was back up, along with Shane who was somewhat dizzy. "Ok. Never, press that button."

"Gotcha," Aiden said, feeling lucky he wans't in trouble. He pressed another button and the flat screen TV appeared.

"Finally," Jason said, looking at it. An image of a young boy appeared, probably 13.

"That's Alex Downing," Aiden introduced. "You'll be helping him out in Lincoln, Nebraska."

"With what exactly?" Shane asked, fixing his hair.

"He's a collector of dolls," Aiden told us.

I made a face. "Dolls? You sure you don't mean action figures or whatever those are?"

"Yup," Aiden nodded, blowing his nose again. "Apparently, the dolls are starting to disappear, one after another. We need you guys to find out who's doing it and put an end to it."

"Seems reasonable," Shane said, standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Wait," Aiden said. "Be careful. This Alex guy's kinda creepy a bit."

I looked back at the screen. "Looks like any other normal teenage boy. Except that he collects dolls for a living."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "Not that. I just have this weird feeling, that's all. Be careful."

Jason nodded. "We'll be fine, Aiden. You stay in bed and get some rest alright?"

"Alright," Aiden finished as we rushed to the elevator.

"Still think you're an idiot," I said with crossed arms while we entered the elevator.

Nate rolled his eyes. "It's my choice Ash."

"Yeah well I'm trying to decide what's better for you."

"You're a girl. You don't know anything."

"And I suppose you know what's best for me?"

"I know it'd be best if we stop talking about my getting a tattoo."

"Not until you say no."

Shane and Jason sighed, hearing me and Nate argue about the issue again.

--

We entered a mansion. Why was it all of our clients were either rich or famous? I don't know. The four of us spies walked up to the door, starring at it. Shane rang the doorbell. How original. A man who looked like a butler appeared at the door.

"Um, hello," Jason said awkwardly. "We're here for Alex Downing?"

The man nodded and said in monotone, "Of course you are. Come in and I will lead you to Master Alex's room."

We looked at eachother and shrugged. No wonder the Grays don't have butler's around the fire house.

The inside of the mansion was rather welcoming. Almost like a bright colored barbie mansion that a little girl would want for Christmas. Except, we were the dolls inside. And from the telling of Aiden's last comment on the mission, I had no idea whether us being inside was a good thing or a bad thing. You know how right that boy can be with those 'strange feelings'. Remember the aliends on Halloween? Or maybe the ghost in the art museum. Now it might be dolls.

"Master Alex, these people request they see you," the monotone sounding butler said outside two doors.

"Let them in," said a young voice.

The butler opened the two doors and me and the guys walked in. The doors closed behind us and we looked, seeing a young boy sitting on a bed. "Hello. Welcome to my home."

I smiled warmly. "Hi. I'm Ash. And these are my teammates, Kevin, Shane, and Nate."

He nodded, making a small smile. "Hello. I am Alex. Thanks for coming."

"So what do you have that needs protecting?" Shane asked, ready for action as always.

I laughed. "Sorry about Shane. He tends to get a little over excited sometimes."

Alex nodded, jumping off the bed. "No need for someone like you to apologize to someone as arrogant sounding as him," Alex said, taking my hand and kissing it.

I made a nervous grin while Jason starred at the kid like he was crazy. Shane was glaring because Alex had just insulted him and Nate was glaring because... ok why was Nate glaring?

"Alright," Nate said, taking my hand since Alex was kissing it. "We're here for a mission. And we'd like to get to work on the mission if you please," he said, smiling.

Alex made that competitive smile like Nate was. "Sure. Right this way."

I blinked. The two were making that certain smile with that glint in their eye and were acting kinda weird. "Is this another guy thing I should be told about?"

"Don't ask," Jason said, his hands in his pockets.

Alex led us to these two other doors in his room. He opened them, revealing an even bigger room. Except this one was lined with isles of shelves, each holding an antique doll or collector barbie doll. Our eyes widened just starring at the size of the place. "Wow."

"Nice isn't it," Alex said, smiling. "I try to make it the best. Follow me."

Nate and I looked at eachother confusingly and then followed the three in front of us. We walked down the place. It was like a giant toy store but for dolls. All the dolls were still in their original packaging, not touching once, all in mint condition. Not a hair out of place. And each of the dolls were girls if you were wondering.

"Alex this is amazing," I complemented, looking up at the high shelves. "How do you get a hold of all of these?"

"I have special ways, Ash," Alex replied, still wearing that mischievous smile. We made a stop in a certain spot and Alex turned his head. We looked at an empty doll box. "It happened at least six times this week. Each night, I always find a doll missing from her box."

"Six times," Jason said. "You have any idea who'd steal them?"

"Not a clue," Alex responded. "Being alone most of the time, I don't communicate with anyone else."

"Maybe your parents have some enemies or something?" Nate asked as if it were obvious.

"I don't know why they'd steal my dolls though," Alex replied as if it didn't bother him. So far, he's had such a calm and cool personality.

"This might be harder than I thought," Shane said with a worried look.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Don't worry, Alex. Leave this to us."

He nodded. "Of course. I'll be in my room if you need me. Feel free to look around if you wish."He left the huge room and me and the guys looked at eachother, nodding. We split up, exploring the room.

I put on my G.R.A.Y glasses and looked at an empty doll box. I saw prints, but not finger prints. I investigated the top of the box and saw it opened. At least I know someone psychical took it. "Man, they must have worn gloves." I took off my glasses. "This guy's good."

I looked around the room some more. The guys were investigating like I was. Somehow I ran into Alex in one of the isles who was looking at the dolls as well. "Oh, Ash."

I smiled "Hi Alex. You looking at your dolls?" I asked, walking over to him. He was looking at a specific doll.

"Yeah," he answered.

I looked at the doll. "What's this one?"

He smiled, nodding. "It's a special doll of mine. Actually, it was because of my best friend that I collect dolls."

I starred down at the boy. "I thought you said you didn't communicate with the outside."

"Not anymore I don't," Alex stated. "She was really awesome while I talked to her."

I smiled. "Ah, a girl. I guess everyone has a best friend after all."

"I don't," Alex said. "She went missing a long time ago."

"Oh," I said, my happy face dropping, my eyes blinking from the moment.

"She collected dolls a lot. Now that she's gone, I take it upon myself to continue on her hobby."

"Aw, that's so sweet," I said with a smile. "Is this doll her favorite?"

"I guess in a way it is," Alex said with that smile. "I keep a special eye on this one."

Nate glared in our direction from a distance. "Who does that kid think he is?"

Shane laughed, walking and looking at the dolls. "If I didn't know better, I'd say the _kid's_ hitting on Ash."

Nate starred at Shane. "Dude that's crazy. Ash's 15 and Alex is 13."

"So?" Jason spoke up, coming down a ladder after looking at the taller shelves. "Boys can like older women. _Sharmane_ is older than you."

"By a few months," Nate clarified. "There's a two year difference between those two."

"... Yeah not that much of an age difference," Jason said with a nod.

Shane grinned. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Nate's jealous."

Nate's eyes went wide. "What? I am not jealous. Especially of some 13 year old. I'm just watching out for my best friend."

"Right," Jason and Shane said at the same time, making Nate glare.

--

"Hey Frankie!" Ember said, walking into the door.

Aiden looked up from his bed. "Oh, hi Ember."

Ember grinned, holding a tray. "I brought some soup from your Dad."

Aiden smiled, seeing the soup. "Thanks Ember." She set it on the table as she pulled up a chair. "What are you doing here?"

"I guess I got bored at home," Ember replied. "No one to talk to." She looked at Aiden's bed. "I see you're doing homework."

Aiden nodded, sniffling from his cold. "Yeah. I hate it when I miss school. It seems to take longer to do the work at home."

Ember laughed. "I know the feeling." She looked at him. "Do you know when the guys are gonna get back from their mission?"

Aiden shrugged. "I dunno. It seemed easy, but I don't trust the client."

Ember made a confused face. "Why?"

"I just get that weird feeling when I look at him," Aiden shrugged. "But I'm probably wrong since I'm only a kid."

"Nah, it just means the guys have to be more careful for this mission specifically," Ember said. "But they have to be back by tomorrow afternoon, though."

"Why?"

Ember looked all ways. "Are we being watched?"

"I can delete the footage at the control room later," Aiden said, knowing this was a juicy secret.

Ember looked left and right. "Nate might get a tattoo tomorrow."

He spit out his soup and started coughing while Ember, panic stricken, hit his back. "He's gonna what?"

Ember made a nervous face. "Sorry, sorry. Maybe a little too extreme there."

"Why would Nate want to get a tattoo?" Aiden asked, wiping his mouth. "Unless it's a temporary one."

Ember face changed as she starred at his face. "Did you say temporary?"

Aiden blinked. "Yeah... Why? Are you gonna talk to the tattoo artist and tell him to give Nate a temporary tattoo instead of a real one?"

Ember smirked. "Not exactly, but you gave me a good idea for the perfect resolution to this problem."

Aiden starred worryingly as Ember smirked, taping her fingers together as if devising a plan. "I dont' know whether to be scared or happy."

--

It was night now. And I was sleeping in another bed room. I got a separate room form the guys. Not really used to that, but I guess it shouldn't matter. Still, I tried not to be a heavy sleeper, wanting to be ready for the robber to show up and take one of the dolls. As I twisted and turned, I heard a sound that made my eyes snap open. I sat up in bed, hearing something. I narrowed my eyes and took my pink and purple cat ear hat that matched my pajamas and placed it onto my head. I slipped out of bed quietly and made my way to the door.

As I stepped out onto the marble hallway, I thanked the heavens I was wearing socks. The floor seemed cold at the moment. After making sure no one was around, I went to the door that led straight to the doll room. I went in and saw the lights off, but I knew someone was in here. I could hear it. I took out my G.R.A.Y glasses and switched them to night vision. I walked through the multiple isles, looking for where the sound was coming from. I jumped down from the top of a shelf and saw an empty doll box. It was the one that Alex was starring at from before this morning. "Shoot. The guy got it."

Suddenly, I felt a cloth come over my mouth from behind, making my eyes widen. I tried to scream but it was muffled. I pressed my G.R.A.Y earring and tried to scream for help, hoping the guys would hear me from it, but soon enough I slipped into unconsciousness.


	17. Doll Attraction Pt2

_One their next mission, they must visit Alex, a doll collector, who's dolls have started disappearing. But Alex appears to be attarcted to Ash, much to Nate's jealousy. But, this mission is a lot more than it seems. In a side story, Nate wants to get a tattoo to impress Sharmane at school, making Ash try and persuade him not to._

* * *

**Chapter 17: Doll Attraction Pt.2**

**--NATE'S POV--**

Jason, Shane, and I were asleep in a guest bedroom. It was weird not having Ash here with us, but it's what _Alex _requested, because she was a girl and needed her own room. Man I hate that kid. As silence was all that was in the room, a loud scream erupted from my ear piece that came from the table, even Shane's and Jaosn's. The scream was so loud, and it was from an _earpiece. _The guys and I shot up, looking for the source of the screaming. We heard it from our bed sides and suddenly, it stopped, just as quickly as it had started.

"Guys, what was that?" JShane asked from out of the dark.

"I don't know," Jason answered, breathing like the rest of us were. "But it came from our ear pieces. Which only means-"

"Ash," I gasped as I jumped out of bed, running to the door. But it was so dark and Jason and Shane were running too, searching for the door as well. We kept bumping into eachother and fighting until Jason got the lamp to open. We all stop moving and looked around. Jason, Shane, and I were on the ground in a wrestling position, Jason's arm outstretched to the lamp. I pushed them off me and ran to the door.

"Guys it's locked."

Jason walked over and tried to open it. "Maybe you were right about that Alex kid. You think he locked our door?"

"Nooo," I said sarcastically.

"Out of the way," Shane said, coming in between Jason and I. The two of us shrugged as Shane cracked his fingers. He gripped onto the doorknob and tried yanking it open once. He kept a calm and cool smiling face and did it again, no luck. This time he grunted trying, and put his feet up onto the door, almost standing on the door as if defying gravity. Jason and I starred as Shane tried to open the door, obviously competitively. Eventually the door broke open and fell backwards with Shane under it, ending with a thud.

"Shane!" Jason and I said as if expecting this. We rushed to get the door off Shane who shook his head to get rid of his dizzyness. After we got him to his feet, I ran to Ash's room. It was open.

I turned on the lights and saw her bed empty. "She's not here," I said in a whisper.

Shane looked over my shoulder. "Where's Ash?"

"Ash's missing," I said, getting worried. "Quick, the doll room!" My brothers and I rushed out of the room and saw another door open. We went in and saw the lights out, nothing heard. We turned on the lights and found everything normal from this view.

"I know she was here," I said, feeling it. "Split up. Find something." The guys obeyed and we split up. We looked for any dolls that had gone missing or any DNA samples that could have belonged to Ash or the robber.

"Hey Nate!" Jason said as I passed an isle. I backed up and went to where Jason was kneeling down. Shane followed me.

"What is it Jason?" I asked, getting to where he was.

"Ash's G.R.A.Y glasses," he said, starring at it on the ground. "You're right. She was here."

"Alright, this is getting spooky now," Shane said with an uncomfortable look. "Ash doesn't just leave her gadgets lying around."

I narrowed my eyes. "The robber. He must have caught Ash and took her." I looked up, seeing an empty doll box. "He stole another doll too."

Jason took out his tracker, dialing some buttons. "Ash screamed using her G.R.A.Y earring before, didn't she?"

I nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"We can use that to track her down," Jason said, watching the small monitor.

Shane smiled. "Kev you're a genius."

"I know," Jason smiled, standing up. "She's still in the building. We better hurry."

**--ASH'S POV--**

I woke up with the light in my eyes. After adjusting to it, I picked my head up. I was in darkness, and there was a spotlight over me. I was laying on a cold metal table, my neck, wrists, and ankles strapped to it. I tried to move, no luck.

"Where am I?" I saw another spot light appear to my left. I saw another metal table, with a doll strapped to it. That doll I recognized as the one Alex was eyeing earlier. Ok, you got a doll strapped down, and a human girl strapped down. I wonder. "Ok come out whoever you are!"

I saw someone step out from the shadows. Alex. "Hello Ash."

I made a face. "Alex? What are you doing? Were you the one who gaged me?"

"A little slow aren't we," he said with that devil smile.

"You twerp," I said with a sudden change in personality with this kid. "Now get me outta here!"

He shrugged. "I don't think you're in the position to be making demands, Ash."

I struggled, trying to get out of this thing. "Why are you doing any of this anyway? You claim that your dolls are missing and whatnot only to kidnap me."

"Hey, unlike other bad guys you've fought, I actually have my priorities straight," Alex said with that smart attitude. His sight went to the doll on the table on my left. His face changed. "Sweet sweet Christina. Soon enough you will be resurrected."

I starred at this boy like he was crazy. I may not be so wrong though. "Sweet who will be what now?"

Alex chucked, turning back to me. "Remember when I said I had a best friend back then? Her name was Christina. And she's human if you're wondering. At least, she was back then." He looked back at the doll again. "Before the time of when _it _happened, I started getting interested in mind uploading technology. She called me a genius at the inventions I could come up with at my age. Eventually she fell ill and started missing school. We heard that she was going to die soon, according to her doctor."

I eyed Alex suspiciously. I had no idea whether to be sad for him or plain scared. But seeing I was trapped to a metal table, I would go for scared.

"So, being the genius I was, I took Christina from the hospital and to our clubhouse, where no one would expect to find us. Actually, it was where she left her gallant collection of dolls."

I kept my suspicious face. "So what did you do with her?"

"I put my skills to the test," he said proudly. "I did to her the same thing I am doing with you now. Using one of my special inventions. I took her mind and uploaded it onto my computer. From then on, her body was an empty shell. I was able to return her back to the hospital before anyone could notice. Clever ain't it?"

"Downright crazy if you asked for my opinion," I said with a weird face.

He smirked at me. "Well I didn't ask for your opinion, Ash. And in this case, you don't _have_ an opinion. After Christina's 'funeral', I knew I couldn't just leave her mind in my computer. So I had to find her a new body. And that's where her doll collection came in handy. But being the young foolish child I was, I didn't know which doll I transferred her mind into."

"You're right, you were foolish. Stupid even," I said with the matching devil grin.

He rolled his eyes. "I had to choose from seven dolls. But even I couldn't figure out which one was Christina. And knowing her parents, her dolls would have been thrown out, discarded from civilization. So to make sure Christina was in my hands, I kept the dolls, and became a doll collector while I was at it to cover my tracks. Pretty good plan for a 13-year old, don't you think?"

"Well I don't think flirting's gonna get you anywhere," I said with a disgusted face. "Why'd you lie?"

"To get you down here," Alex continued. "I've heard about you, Ash. The amazing, hot, 15-year old female spy."

"How?" I asked, afraid he was some stalker, especially by that hot comment.

"Like I said, I'm a genius. I can hack into any organization computer I can think off. Even G.R.A.Y. After making up a white lie about having six of the original dolls gone missing, it drew you out here, just like I planned. Just recently I have figured out which doll contains Christina's mind." We looked to the doll on my left. "And she's right there."

"And what exactly do you propose doing with me?" I asked, starting to get creeped out by this mad scientist.

"Hello? I'm a genius teen who focuses on mind technology. And I have a human on my left, a doll on my right. What do you think?"

I glared. This guy was gonna make me and the Christina doll switch minds. "If you think you're gonna have Christina in my body you have another thing coming. My friends are gonna save me."

Alex laughed. "Friends, ha. They just get close to you only for them to just leave and tear your heart in two. Just like Christina did. As far as they're concerned, they're your mere teammates, not friends."

"If that's how you feel about friends, then why do you even bother trying to bring Christina back through me?"

He didn't answer. "Just keep quiet. You're a mere subject in this little test of mine."

I didn't know why, but I had some sympathy for the kid, having to have lost a friend at such a young age. Now look how he turned out, a lonely brainy teen, crazy even. But Alex wasn't my objective at the moment, considering I was about to become a doll!

"Ugh, what am I gonna do now?" I groaned, my heading hitting the table.

"Ash?" Nate's voice said from my earring.

My eyes widened. "Nate?" I whispered into the air, searching through the darkness. "Guys that you?"

"Ash are you ok?" Jason asked.

"Where are you?" I asked, trying to see where.

"Near enough to have heard Alex's wacko plan," Shane commented with a chuckle.

I pouted. "I'm stuck to a metal table and all you can do is laugh? Get me out of here."

"Don't worry Alex. I'll get you out of here if it's the last thing I do," Nate said, making me smile with comfort.

"But if you become a doll, we'll take care of you like a baby," Shane said, only for me to hear two whacks and Shane say ow. Typical Shane. But at least I have my spy team to get me out of this mess. _Hopefully_ they'll get me out of this mess.

"Ready?" I heard Alex's voice ask as he came back into the light with this long wire, two connecting chords at each end.

"What do you think?" I asked with a fake smile. Who's want to be in my situation and be ready?!

He rolled his eyes. "Weird. You're a lot like Christina in a way, Ash. Can't wait to speak with her again."

I watched him connect a chord with my table and the other with the doll's table. _'Gosh I hope Nate has a plan.'_

I heard a weird sound, like Alex's 'invention' starting up. I was feeling goosebumps in me, praying over and over Nate had something up his sleeve to get me out of here. I tried to get out myself, but these metal restraints were holding me down all too well. If I couldn't get me out of here, what makes Nate think he can?

"Nate! Jason! Shane!" I cried out, scared for my life.

Alex smirked. "Bye Bye, Ashley Drame."

I saw somewhere a countdown of 10 seconds. My eyes widened and I heard this weird buzzing sound. But that buzzing sound wasn't from Aelx's machine though. I got a hold of my self and saw five red lasers coming down at me from one directions, all melting the metal holding me down. I smirked. It was finally hot enough for me to break though. I broke them and I sat up, feeling slightly sore.

5, 4. I had three seconds. And then suddenly, I felt myself be pushed off the table and land on the floor, Nate on me. I saw a huge explosion of light and I kept my eyes, shut, holding onto Nate for dear life. When the explosion died down, I heard Alex screaming no in agony.

I finally opened my eyes, breathing heavily. "N-Nate?"

He smiled, opening his eyes. too. "Told you I'd get you out."

I smiled and surprised him with another one of my hugs, making him blush, and me not notice.

"Let me go! Put me down!" we heard Alex shout, Jason and Shane holding him.

"I don't think so," Shane said with a satisfied look on his face.

Jason smiled too. "Yeah. G.R.A.Y agents are already on their way here. And don't think that just because you're 13 that you can get out of this so easily."

I smiled, mission completed. I starred back at the doll on the opposite table. Was Christina's mind really in that doll somewhere?

--

"And here we are," Josh said as me, Nate, Shane, Jason, and Ember walked into a tattoo parlor.

I made a face, looking around the room from where I stood. It scared me a little just being in here. "Um..."

"Nate are you seriously gonna go with this?" Jason asked, seeing a chair with a bunch of needle tool like stuff on a table.

"Of course he's sure," Josh said with a smirk. "He wouldn't have come here if he wasn't."

"Uh, yeah," Nate said, seeing the needle.

A man came out from the back, a scary looking man who looked like he could crush you with his arm. "Ah, these your friends, Josh?"

Josh smiled. "Yeah. And here's Nate, one of your two customers."

"Uh, hi sir," Nate said awkwardly.

The man smiled, wearing plastic gloves as he picked up a sterilized needle. "So, you ready? Josh here says you both will be getting tattoos around your upper arms."

"R-Right, uh-huh," Nate said, kinda nervous.

"Are you seriously gonna go through this just to prove who's stronger?" I asked for probably the millionth time today.

"Ash, it's a guy thing. It's a way of life," Shane said as if some specialist doctor. "All you can do is watch and hope."

I starred at Shane like he was crazy. "And who are you, a therapist?"

I watched as Nate sat in the chair and lift his sleeve. We both blinked, seeing the needle ready.

Ember was watching this like a show without popcorn. "Good thing I came. I just wish I had my camera to record Nate in pain. You don't see that everyday."

"Um, yeah, pain," Nate said, still starring dazed at the needle drippign with ink.

I looked just as scared as Nate at the moment. I too didn't like needles. But who did? I mean, ow much?

Josh smirked, as if waiting for Nate to chicken out. "So, you ready Gray?"

Nate looked at the needle one more time and sighed, sitting up. "You know what, this is stupid. I don't need a tattoo to show that I'm tougher than you Josh."

"So what, scared?" Josh laughed like the arrogant boy he was.

"No," Nate shrugged as if it were nothing. "But I'm 15. I'm not getting a tattoo just to prove a point. I'm out of here."

I smiled as Nate walked over to me and his brothers, and Ember too. With how quiet she was, I almost forgot she was here. Wow.

"Well then, I guess that leaves me," Josh said with a smirk.

Us, not caring, left the tattoo parlor, only to start to hear Josh screaming from inside. We laughed at this good ending.

"Wow, nice choice Nate," Jason said, proud of his little brother.

Nate smiled, proud himself too. "Let's just get home. This was a weird day."

I looked a Nate. "What about impressing Sharmane?"

He smiled at me. "Eh, I can find other ways to impress Sharmane. I mean, if my best friend is willing to pester me dozens of times in one day over one simple thing, it must mean something."

I blinked. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

Nick smiled, placing his arm around me with no response. I just smiled and layed my head on his shoulder.

Ember grinned, her arms folded behind her head. "I just can't wait for tomorrow, though."

Shane starred at Ember. "Why? You do _know_ Josh's gonna show off his tattoo and humiliate Nate at school?"

Nate gave Shane a look. "Yeah thanks for bringing that up, Shane."

Jason laughed. "Ember what are you talking about?"

Ember grinned. "I talked with Josh's uncle yesterday while you guys were in Nebraska. I told him the story and he thought you two were being stupid, too."

Nate pouted. "Is this supposed to make me feel guilty or feel better?"

"Better," Ember replied. "That tattoo Josh's getting now is a fake, all with the pain of a real tattoo. And tomorrow, it's just gonna disappear during the course of the school day with a simple scratch."

"Wow you're good," Shane complimented with a high five.

Jason smiled. "Goes to show good guys always win. At least in our case."

"But still," I said. "What would have happened if Nate really got that tattoo? A real one."

"For one, he'd have to get rid of it. His dad would flip," Ember laughed.

"Then again, I heard rubbing salt on a tattoo get's rid of it," Shane thought, making us give him wide eyed stares. "What?"

"If you didn't know, that's considered to be extremely painful," I announced.

Shane blinked. "Fine, no salt. We could just chop off Nate's arm."

Nate starred at his older brother in bewilderment, holding his arm. "I'd like to keep my arm thank you very much."

Shane laughed, shrugging. "At least you wouldn't have the tattoo then."

Jason rolled his eyes. "So Ash, what'd you do with that doll from the mission yesterday? You said you wanted to keep it."

I nodded. "Yeah," I admitted. It was at my house right now. No, _she _was at my house right now. Who knows, maybe that doll really is that Christina girl. And since Alex is in the G.R.A.Y loony hut, I couldn't bring myself to throw away the poor doll. I mean, the relationships of best friends can make a person go far, like having me switch places with a doll. But then again, take a look at Nate and me. We've been best friends forever and we're still going strong. Makes you think of the saying, 'Love makes you do crazy things'........ Did I just think love?.... And Nate?........ Nah.

"Ash," Nate said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Geez stop spacing out. It's becoming a habit now."

I laughed nervously. "Hehe, sorry, Nate."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_Shane gave Nate a look, actually being the serious one now. "Dude, I'm not joking. This morning Dad took Jason out flying with one of the jets. We think soemthing happened to them." _

_Nate kept his calm state. "And now you think we should all go after them."_

_--_

_"WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Ember and Nate panicked while Frankie just screamed._

_"NO ONE'S DIEING!" I yelled over the alarm and the screaming._

_The alarm went louder, as did Shane. "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! ABANDONED SPY JET!! I REPEAT, ABANDONED SPY JET!!"_


	18. Missing Remembering Pt1

_When arriving home, Shane finds their Dad and Jason missing, so he brings, Ash, Nate,Aiden, and Ember with him to go search. Of course, it becomes harder when their search strands them on a deserted island. In a side story, Ash is failing gym, due to her absences for sneaking off and going on missions. Therefore she is forced to join cheerleading, much to his dislike._

* * *

**Chapter 18: Missing Remembering Pt.1**

"She can come in," Principal Koel said from inside his office.

The lady opened the door and I walked in. I grinned nervously. "Hey Principal Koel."

He nodded. "Yes, Ashley. Take a seat, again."

I chuckled and did as he said, placing my bag on the ground beside me.

"It comes to my attention you are failing _gym_, seeing you're ditching classes now."

"B-But it's not my fault!"

He nodded. "Uh-huh. I remember back then when the _Grays _would be the ones sneaking off and I would be the one interrogating _you_ on where they went. Now, _you're _sneaking off with them and you've dragged Ember into the mess by having her lie for you guys. Now a days it's Ember I'm interrogating and she doesn't know a thing I'm talking about."

I blinked. "Good 'cause neither do I. "

He sighed. "I'm not going to question you on what you guys are doing, since you all seem to be hiding something. And since Mr. Gray says it's family business, I won't snoop. But-"

"But?" I asked, knowing that the bad part had come.

"Since you're already failing gym, you need so sign up from an extra-curricular activity in order to pass the semester."

"Sign up for a what now?" I asked, shocked. Back in middle school I was in a lot of extra-curricular activities. But now, my _only _activity is traveling and saving the world with my friends. If anything I should be getting school credit for that, but we all know I can't say that to the principal. "B-But aren't all the culbs already out of spaces?" I asked, trying to find an excuse. I can't miss out on missions just because of some after school activity.

"Except one," Principal Koel said. "Cheerleading."

Scratch that. I can't miss out on mission just because of _cheerleading_. "What? Nooooo. I refuse. I will not. Never. Nope." Not that I had anything against cheerleading. Actually, maybe I'd be good at it, seeing I had the reflexes and abilities of a spy. It's working with Sharmane as my captain that worried me.

--

"And you agreed to it?" Nate laughed, playing catch with his baseball up in his room.

I glared, sitting in a bean bag chair. "Shut up."

Nate laughed. "Sorry. It just sounds like a dream or something. You, Ashley Drame, has joined the cheerleading squad."

I shivered. "You're right. It does sound like a dream, or nightmare in my case."

Nate smiled. "Well that's your problem, not mine. Did Principal Koel say how long you had to be in it?"

"Long enough to pull my gym grade up," I muttered, glaring off to the side.

"Hey guys!" Shane called from the fire pole downstairs. "Mission!"

Nate made a face. "This late?"

I looked at my watch. "Yeah, it's already 9:30."

"Not that kind of mission!" Aiden yelled back.

Nate and I shrugged at eachotherand slid down the fire pole in our pajamas, arriving in the living room. Aiden and Ember were sitting on the couch and Shane was pacing back and forth, obviously troubled by something.

"What's going on?" Nate asked confused.

"And what do you mean 'not that kind of mission'?" I added.

"You know Jason's 18 now right?" Shane asked.

"Um, yeah?" Nate and I answered unsure of why Shane'd bring that up.

"Well, according to the rulebook, once you're 18, you can try and get your licence for flying a G.R.A.Y aircraft."

Nate blinked. "We're allowed to drive one of those?"

Shane gave Nate a look, actually being the serious one now. "Dude, I'm not joking. This morning Dad took Jason out flying with one of the jets."

"Eh, so that's why Jason didn't show up at school," I said with a finger under my chin.

"They should have been back during lunch, but they never showed up," Aiden added. "One of them would have contacted us, but we never heard from them."

Ember nodded. "We tried to call them through Jason's watch, but we got no response."

"We think soemthinghappened to them," Shane said, going over to the window. He used his hand and moved the curtain, seeing night.

Nate kept his calm state. "And now you think we should all go after them."

Shane didn't respond, so Ember did out of sympathy. "Yes. It seems like the only thing we can do now."

"You sure they're... missing?" I asked, wanting to get the facts straight.

"Ash's right. We can't just assume the worst when something happens," Nate said.

"We did the exact same thing with Mom," Shane said, keeping his stare at the window.

My eyes were brought up at the mention of the Grays' Mom. We didn't talk about her very often. Proabably never. And for Shaneto bring it up, wow. And then all of a sudden, silence was bestowed upon the room. That rarely happened around here. But, I guess Shane's in charge now, seeing he's the oldest at the moment. He was acting the oldest too.

"Are you sure?" I asked, not liking the awkwardness.

"I'm sure," Aiden piped up.

Ember smiled. "There, Aiden agrees with Shan. And we all know how right Frankie is with these things."

Nate made a small smile. "I guess if Aiden says so, it must mean something."

Shane pouted. "Okso you don't believe me but you believe Aiden."

Little Aiden made a peace sign with a grin. "I'm special."

I laughed, sitting at the arm of the chair. "Alright then. We've got ourselves a new mission."

"But do we even know where to start?" Nate reminded. "We can't communicate with them."

"We can always try tracking them," I said, standing up. I went to the wall and banged three times, making the door to the control room appear. All of us left the living room and went inside.

Nate went to the main chair and started typing up some things in the computer. A huge map of the globe appeared. "Looks like we've got a lot of places to think of where we lost Jason and Dad."

"Clearly," Shane said, seeing the globe spin around and around on the monitor. After Nate typed something in, we centered in around the Pacific Ocean. Then we saw a red blinking light appear. All of us starred. Obviously not liking the looks of this.

"They didn't crash into the ocean did they-"

Ember covered Aiden's mouth. "Please don't jinx this up by officialy guessing that factor."

"Oh man," Shane said, starring at the blue screen.

"This doesn't look good," I said with a worried look.

Nate pressed a button on his watch. "Jason, Jason come on. Please answer me?" All he got in return was this static sound. "Uh, I'm guessing now's not a good time to ask if the watches are water proof."

Shane ran his hand through his hair. "This isn't good is it."

"Well, like I said Shane, we can't think up the worst yet," Nate said, typing up some things on the keyboard again. "If I can get the coordinates, we can try and fly over there and search for them."

"But we don't have any spies to _fly_the jet for us," Aiden reminded.

I shrugged. "Then I guess one of us will have to fly it."

Nate starred at me. "Ash that is a crazy idea."

"Well can you think of any other ways to fly over to the ocean?" I asked with my hands.

"Then who'll fly it?" Nate repeated.

I made a sly smile and turned my head towards Shane.

Shane looked around, seeing if I was looking at anyone else. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I kept smiling. "You're flying."

"He is?" Nate asked.

"He is?" Aiden and Ember repeated.

"Yeah," I answered truthfully. "Besides, he's almost 18."

"But I can't even drive a car," Shane reminded. I bet he was glad for not getting his licence at the moment. Because now he had to drive a jet.

"Yes, but I had this weird trip to the future remember? And there, you can drive flying vehicles better than anyone."

"He can?" the three asked asked in disbelief.

"Yes," I said for the last time. "Please Shane? You're the one who told us we had to save Jason and your dad."

He sighed. "Fine. I hate it when you use words against me."

Nate laughed. "I know."

I shook my head. "Well, we better get out of our pj's. We're heading to the pacific."

--

We were in one of the G.R.A.Y private jets, Shane at the controls. And I guess I was right, because we've been flying for 16 minutes straight and we haven't crashed. Yet.

"Ok, we're going pretty good," Nate said, probably being the most nervous right now. It was obvious.

I went behind his seat and dropped my hands on his shoulders, making him jump. "Nate, relax. We're not gonna die. And you've been in much much worse situations than this."

"I guess you're right," Nate said, breathing in and out. "But that's because I know we have back up at home, from Dad. Now we're sneaking out, stealing one of G.R.A.Y jets, and flying over the ocean, at night, and your mom doesn't know. Why wouldn't I be worried? Oh god we're gonna die-

I whacked him in the head with a vein. "Shut up."

"Thank you," Nate said, holding the side of his head.

Ember shook her head and went over to Shane. "How much farther?"

Shane looked at the GPS. "Not that long. We're getting closer to their jet's signal."

Aiden looked around the jet. He saw a bunch of lights and buttons, all different kinds of confusing switches. "Good thing you read the manual. I have no idea how you can memorize all this."

Shane grinned. "I didn't. I just read over the necessaries: taking off, flying, landing, emergency exits, steering. We're all good."

Aiden starred at a particular tiny monitor. "Did you read about the fuel?"

All of us starred at where Aiden was looking, seeing a VERY tiny circular thing, with F and E, a red needle in the middle, and it was on E.

"Ok now I am officially panicking," NickNate said, getting worried for our lives again.

"How did we not notice that?" I asked to no one in particular.

"But what are we gonna do now?" Aiden asked, looking at us 'adults' for an answer.

All of us looked at eachother wondering the same thing until we heard an alarm go off. The fuel meter started going off like a siren from a fire truck. All of us began screaming. Ember and Aiden were holding onto Shane's chair and I was holding onto Nate's chair, since he was in the passenger seat.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Ember and Nate panicked while Frankie just screamed.

"NO ONE'S DIEING!" I yelled over the alarm and the screaming.

"Um, Ash, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, I really am, but the jet's going down!" Shane said in a panicking voice, trying to maintain the controls. All of us could feel the jet slant forward. We were gonna crash.

"Aren't there any parachutes or something?!" I shouted through all the chaos.

"Over there!" Shane shouted pointing, letting go of the controls for a moment, making the jet head downwards more and all of us scream.

"Get the parachutes!" Aiden shouted.

I pointed my watch at the small door and shot a small red laser. The door dropped open and three backpack-like things fell out. "There's only three of them!"

The alarm went louder, as did Shane. "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! ABANDONED SPY JET!! I REPEAT, ABANDONED SPY JET!!"

Nate grabbed a bag. "Guys! Follow my lead!"

In no time, the jet crashed into the ocean.

.

.

.

Ok, ok, we weren't in it when it crashed.

I opened my eyes, feeling arms wrapped around my waist, and mine wrapped around someone else's. "Nate?"

I looked up and saw Nate's face. He smirked. "Wow, I tend to save you a lot, don't I."

I looked down and saw the dark watery ocean. I also saw us, flying. "T-Those bags..."

"Yeah, turns out they're jet packs," Nate chuckled. "Pretty sweet huh?"

I looked left and right. "Where are the others?"

"Right here Ash!" I heard Ember shout nervously.

I turned my head and saw her holding onto Shane, just as scared as I was. Shane was the one who was wearing the jet pack. Aiden had the third jet pack to himself.

"Next time we fly, we're checking the gas tanks," Shane said with a nod.

"Obviously," I said, glaring at him.

Aiden got Nate's tracker. "We're near where Jason and Dad are."

Nate smiled. "Lead the way then."

Aiden, having his arms free, led the way through this darkness. The blue fires from the jet packs seemed to be our only lights too.

"Brr," I shivered, feeling myself shake.

Nate turned his head down at me. "You ok Ash?" Nate's arms were still around my waist. I wasn't holding onto him anymore.

"I'm alright. But I'm kinda cold though. It's almost December so it wasn't really bright of me to wear a short-sleeved shirt."

Nate laughed. "And then there's the cheerleading."

I blinked, remembering what Principal Koel told me. Now I'll have to wear those cheerleading outfits in the cold, where there is no heater. It isn't even football season so why still practice cheerleading around this time?

"What happened?" Shane asked, speeding up so he and Ember could catch up to me and Nate.

Nate smirked. "Since Ash's failing gym because of our missions, Principal Koel's making her join cheerleading."

Ember looked at me. "Wow really?"

"Well I'm sure you'll do fine. You're a spy. You can do all those flips and splits," Shane shrugged.

Ember gave Shane a look. "She's not talking about _doing _cheerleading, Einstein. She's talking about having to work with Sharmane."

"What's so wrong with that?" Shane and Nate asked at the same time.

Ember and I groaned. The philosophy of boys, never sees the worst in the girl they like. We were getting tired, so we tracked down the closest island and went there. The second my feet touched the ground, I fell downflat, making Nate jump. "Um, Ash you alright?"

"Mhphmph," I said, not even sure what I meant so say. My face was collided with the sand at the moment.

Shane landed and let go of Ember. Her legs were a little wobbly and she fell back, him catching her. "You girls sure you can walk?"

"N-Not really," Ember replied, trying to stand straight.

"Should we set up a camp or something?" Aiden asked, looking around.

"We should start with a fire," Nate advised. "I'll go get some firewood. Shane you come with me."

I sat up, shaking my head and getting teh sand off my cat ear hat. "What about us?"

"You guys stay here. It's safer," Nate said, turning to me. "I still don't know where we are so it might be dangerous."

I rolled my eyes as the guys walked away.

"So," Ember said, sitting beside me with Aiden following the suit. "Is this what usually happens on missions?"

I shrugged. "I guess, except we usually have shelter, warmth, clues. But I've been trough worse than this."

Aiden smiled, hugging his knees in an attempt to keep warm. "Ash?"

"Yeah Aiden?" I said, turning to him.

"Do you like Nate?"

I blinked. That was a completely random question. Ember just laughed until she fell back. "Why do you ask that?" I asked him.

Aiden shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Just thought I'd ask in case I was missing something. I'm still a kid so I can be kinda clueless sometimes."

Ember laughed again and sat back up. "I think you confused that with Ash. _She's_ the clueless one."

I made a face. What was a clueless to? "What are you talking about Ember?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

I pouted, hating when people said never mind. It meant they were hiding something. After waiting about half an hour, we were bored to death. In the sand were previous games of tic-tac-toe, we played rock-paper-scissors, charades, we had very poor ways of entertaining ourselves.

"Ok, it doesn't take this long to find some wood!" Ember finally snapped, scaring me and Aiden who were already half asleep.

I looked at my watch. "I guess it took long enough. Maybe we should go in after them?"

Aiden yawned. "Maybe."

Ember looked at Aiden. "Aiden you getting sleepy?"

He looked at Ember like she was insane. "Of course I'm sleepy. It's like midnight or something."

I smiled and bent down. "Come on, get on my back."

Aiden did as I said and Ember and I ventured away from the sandy shores of the beach.


	19. Missing Remembering Pt2

_When arriving home, Shane finds their Dad and Jason missing, so he brings, Ash, Nate, Aiden, and Ember with him to go search. Of course, it becomes harder when their search strands them on a deserted island. In a side story, Ash is failing gym, due to her absences for sneaking off and going on missions. Therefore she is forced to join cheer leading, much to his dislike._

* * *

**Chapter 19: Missing Remembering Pt.2**

We were careful to be quiet. We weren't sure if anyone was here or not. And if there happened to be any wild animals that would try to attack and eat us, any common sense person would try and _avoid it_. That was, until I felt my foot trip over something like a string. The the next thing we knew, Ember and I, who was still carrying Aiden, flew upwards into a net, like an animal in a trap. The three of us screamed, panicking from the suddenness of the thing, until some people came out.

"Oh wait, it's just them," said a familiar voice.

Ember looked down. "SHANE YOU'RE SO DEAD!"

Shane pouted. "Want us to get you down or not?"

I stopped screaming long enough to remember we were in a _net_, not a metal cage or prison cell like I usually get stuck in. I pointed my watch up a used a laser to cut it. Then we started falling, screaming again. We fell on the three guys. Wait, three?

"Ow," I said, lifting my head. Then I realised I was on Nate and screamed from the shock.

Someone behind me covered my mouth. "Ash would you quiet it down? It's night if you haven't noticed."

I looked up. "Jason!" I squealed, jumping and hugging him.

Shane and Nate sat up, helping Ember and Aiden. Those two looked just as surprised as I was. "Jason?"

Shane smiled. "Yeah. Nate and I ran into him and Dad."

My face brightened. "You found your dad?"

Jason laughed. "Yeah. Seems our jet broke down and we crashed here. There was no signal so we couldn't contact you guys."

"Well we're here anyway," Ember said, standing up. "Now what up with the net?"

"Ask Shane," Nate said. "He said we should set up traps in case some wild animal showed up."

I made a face. "Oh, so you all got reunited but didn't bother trying to go back for me, Ember, and Aiden?"

"Yeah, you left us playing rock paper scissors for a half hour," Aiden added.

Shane grinned nervously. "Sorry. Dad said we shouldn't go out into the jungle until it was light again."

Jason smiled. "Come on. Let's take you back to our Dad. We got a fire set up."

Ember, Aiden, and I smiled as the guys led us through the trees and green. In a distance and saw a small camp fire and Mr. Gray there. He looked up, surprised to see us. "Oh, so you boys found them?"

Jason laughed. "Yeah, they got caught in one of the nets looking for us."

Shane grinned. "I new it was a good idea to set up those nets!"

Ember hit him in the arm while the rest of us laughed. We all sat around the campfire, enjoying the warmth and heat of it. It was pretty cold out here.

"What happened?" I asked, my palms outstretched towards the fire, tyring to warm them up. "The guys said you crashed?"

Mr. Gray nodded. "Yeah. Apparently the jet had a malfunction and we crashed onto the island. By tomorrow I should be able to reconstruct a new communicator with all our watches so we can get some help."

Ember sighed. "Good. I thought we were all gonna be stranded out here forever."

Shane laughed. "You wouldn't stand a chance out here."

Ember turned to Shane. "Like you wouldn't?"

"Well duh. I'm a spy. I'm_ trained_ for situations like this," he said proudly.

Ember gave him that look. "Uh-huh. Whatever would you do without your shower and hair products?"

Shane's eyes cracked open and his face went still. "My hair."

I laughed. "Typical Shane."

Nate looked towards his little brother. "Aiden you're quiet."

His's head shot up. "Huh?"

Nate felt Aiden's forehead. "You're dozing off a lot. Maybe you're spending too much time with Ash."

I laughed and his his arm, making Nate laugh too.

Aiden nodded. "I guess."

Jason made a face. "Seriously Aiden, you ok?"

Aiden looked up. "Back at the house, Shane was acting all worried because he thought the worst happened to you and Dad. Nate said that we can't assume the worse, but then Shane said that you did the exact same thing with Mom." All of us were looking at Aiden now. "What happened to Mom?"

All of us looked at eachother, wondering what to tell the youngest Gray. None of us were expecting this.

Mr. Gray sighed, placing an arm around Aiden. "Ok, maybe it's time we told you about Mom."

Aiden didn't change his face. "Why don't we talk about her?...... Is she dead?"

"Well," Shane said unsure.

Jason sighed. "It's like this Aiden. Mom was actually the first female G.R.A.Y Spy."

"She was?" Aiden asked with a slight smile.

I nodded. "Yeah. She went on a solo mission one day, never came back."

Aiden's face fell.

Nate kept his eyes down. "We tried tracking her down. We didn't assume the worst. You weren't even 1 year old the time, Aiden. Ash and I were 7, Shane and Ember were 10, and Jason was 11. We were only kids so we didn't really know about G.R.A.Y yet."

Ember nodded. "He's right. We found out the truth about Mrs. Gwhen Nate became part of G.R.A.Y."

"So, Mom's missing? Because of something G.R.A.Y related?" Aiden asked.

Jason nodded. "Yeah."

Aiden looked at Shane, seeing his head down. "Was that why you were so angry at home, Shane?"

He looked up at Aiden. "Aiden I wasn't angry. Sorry for acting that way before. I was just worried the same thing might have happened to Jason and Dad, that they'd go missing and never be found again."

Aiden nodded, still being held by his dad. "Oh."

Ember smiled, looking up at the starry sky. "I remember your mom pretty well."

Aiden smiled. "What was Mom like?"

Shane laughed. "For one she was an awesome mom."

"Very beautiful," Jason added.

"And she knew when to lay down the rules," Nate finished off. "Just like any other Mom would for her sons."

"And she loved you very much," Mr. Gray said.

I laughed. "I remember the big panic back a little bit before you were born, Aiden."

He looked at me confusingly. "Panic?"

Nate laughed too, remembering that. "Oh yeah. Before we lived in the fire house, we lived in a smaller house. When we found out we were having another little brother, we needed more room."

"Actually, they were about to move away," Ember added.

Aiden's eyes widened. "Then what happened?"

I giggled. "I was living in the fire house at the time with my parents. My Dad owned the building since he retired. And, both our families decided to switch houses. You guys got the fire house and we got your house."

"So it's because of me we got an awesome house?" Aiden asked with a grin.

All of us laughed. And yeah, the Grays put the fire house to much better used than I ever did. Now it's the secret headquarters of a huge spy organization.

"Your mother was one of our best spies," Mr. Gray said. "She was vice president of G.R.A.Y. That's why she was able to be a spy even though she was an adult. Actually, she's a lot like Ash."

I cocked my head. "I am?"

Jason smiled. "Wow, I guess they are. Ash, did you know our mom taught your mom before?"

My head jumped. "Really? Wow."

Nate placed an arm around me. "She would always sing lullabies to Ash and me so we could fall asleep."

I smiled a little, remembering the tune. "Oh yeah. I remember that."

"So our mom sung too," Aiden said impressed. "No wonder why you guys are good singers."

Shane laughed. "Yeah. She used to sing to _all_ of us kiddies so we could fall asleep."

I closed my eyes, leaning my head on Nate's shoulder. "I think I still remember that tune..... _How can look that way, when I have failed so many times, showing me love, you tell the world, "This child is mine.".... How can you walk that extra mile, I see forgiveness in your smile, so sure you'd reject me, wrong again, ooooh_."

During the course of the song, Nate started singing along with me, remembering the lullaby. Eventually, Shane, Ember, Jason, and Mr. Gray sung as well, all of us reminiscing on memories, slowly putting Aiden to sleep like Mrs. Gray used to do with us. It didn't take too long for Aiden to fall asleep on his father's lap, and me on Nate's shoulder.

--

I yawned, hearing the fire cracking. I opened my eyes, seeing everyone still asleep. And the fire was still going on to keep us warm. I noticed I was laying on the ground, my head no longer on Nate. Instead I saw his jacket covering me, keeping me extra warm. I sat up and looked around seeing no sign of him. I sighed. "Oh Nate."

I went through the jungle and found the beach. And sure enough, I saw Nate there, sitting on the sand, looking out to the ocean and the moonlight reflecting in it. I kept Nate's jacket over my shoulders, wondering whether I should go up to him or not. He went here for a reason.

"I know you're there Ash," Nate said, snapping me out of my thoughts once again.

I kept my sympathetic face and walked out of the shadows slowly. I sat down next to Nate on the sand. He seemed to be in a daze, much like what I'd do. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Just fine."

I knew he was lying. "Is it... about your Mom?" I asked, not know if I would regret suggesting that. When he didn't respond, I looked away, feeling guilty. "Um, sorry for upsetting you by asking that-"

"No Ash, it's ok," Nate interrupted. "Besides, you're right. I am thinking about her."

I sat straight up, trying to read his face. "Do you miss her?"

Nate smiled, looking down at his sneakers. "Like crazy. I haven't seen her in seven years."

I looked at my feet too. "I guess I can relate a bit. I haven't seen my dad in almost seven years too."

Nate looked at me, seeing me remembering. "Oh yeah."

I kept that smile on my face, picking up some sand in my hand. "At least you still have some hope that your mom is out there, alive somewhere. I _know _my Dad's gone." The wind blew away the sand like pixie dust. "It's kind of a bummer knowing I can never see my Dad again, but I know he's thinking about me." I looked at Nate. "Much like how I know your mom's thinking about you."

Nate made a small smile and finally turned his head towards me. "Thanks Ash. I needed that."

I smiled back, still wearing my cat ear hat. "I think we both needed to hear it." I looked back at the beautiful ocean. It was well lit form the moon compared to before. "And thanks for your jacket, again."

Nate laughed, remembering Halloween. "Right. I didn't need it anyway. Besides, I heard you sing."

A blush appeared on my face. I forgot all about that.

"And it sounded real good," Nick said, nodding his head. "I don't know why you call it 'lost'."

I kept my stare at the ocean. "I guess it's because I forgot how to sing, like I lost the talent."

Nate made a confused face. "How can you forget _how_ to sing?"

I shrugged. "Not so sure myself. I guess it's sorta like you and your mom's lullaby."

"How?"

"Tell me honestly, Nate," I started out. "Before I started singing tonight, did you remember that lullaby?"

Nate thought about it. "I guess not..... At least until you sung it and I remembered."

I smiled, turning my head towards him again. "Then there you have it. Remembering. I guess with remembering all about your mom for Aiden, I sorta remembered how my Dad and I loved to sing. And then, I remembered the lullaby, and I remembered how to sing again."

Nate laughed. "You make everything sound so complicated sometimes."

I smiled sweetly. "Sometimes the complicated way comes with more rewarding endings than the easy way."

Nate smiled, placing his hand on mine. I slightly blushed, not knowing I was even blushing, but smiled nonetheless and rested my head on his shoulder again, falling asleep instantly.

Nate sighed, feeling the wind as I lost myself into sleep. "Thanks Ash," Nate whispered to himself, rubbing my hand with his thumb. Too bad I wasn't awake to feel it.

--

Nate, Shane, Jason, and Ember walked down the halls, school already over.

"You sure Ash would want us to come?" Ember asked unsure.

"Well I have to drive her home anyway," Jason shrugged.

Shane was smirking, holding his camera. "I just can't wait to see all those girls in those cheer leading uniforms."

Nate made a glance at him. "Is that the only reason you came?"

Shane smirked at Nate. "You know you want to see Ash in that little cheer leading uniform."

Nate blushed sand turned his head away. "Shut up."

Shane laughed and went back to his camera, making Ember and Jason roll their eyes. They went through two doors which lead outside to the football field. It looked like break and the cheerleaders were with their football players, being all flirteous.

"Wow, maybe I should join football too," Shane said.

Ember squinted her eyes. "Hey, I think I see Ash!"

Nate looked in the direction and saw me and a guy talking to me, thinking I was paying attention. I looked bored out of my mind. Nate had that look on his face too. Jealousy?

I looked up and saw my friends running towards here. A smile finally appeared on my face. "Guys."

Shane took a picture. "This is a once in a life time moment."

I shook my head. Typical Shane.

"So who are these guys, babe?" the football player asked. Out of every guy out here on the field, I had to gain the attraction of the most arrogant.

"Don't call me babe," I said sternly.

He smirked at me. "Why? You're cute. Wanna be my girlfriend?"

I blushed, blinking. "Um, I-I-"

Nate panicked on the inside, probably as much as me. He suddenly went over to me and slung his arm around over my shoulder. "S-She can't! A-Ash's already my girlfriend."

Shane blinked. "She is-" Jason and Ember elbowed him.

"Um, yeah, my boyfriend, Nate," I said with that nervous grin of mine.

He nodded. "I see. You're one lucky man, Gray," he said, walking away back to another cheerleader.

Once he was gone I squealed and jumped on Nate, hugging him. "Thank you thank you thank you!!"

Nate jumped, blushing. "Y-You're welcome."

Shane took another picture. "I am so loving this. Now I need one of them kissing."

Ember shook her head. "So Ash, how was cheer leading?"

I shrugged. "It was ok I guess. But I did so well I out did Sharmane."

"Sharmane?" the guys piped up, looking in a direction, seeing her on one of the benches. They ran off, leaving me and Ember in the wind.

"Why doesn't that reaction surprise me?" Ember said with a chuckle.

"I don't know," I said, ignoring it. "Anyway, Principal Koel saw and since he said I'm obviously still athletic, I don't need to forcibly join cheerleading."

Ember smiled "That's great!"

"I know! I don't have to wear this thing anymore," I said, looking at myself. "I sorta miss my hat now."

Ember nodded. "But I think Nate was checking you out when he saw you."

I looked at her strange. "What makes you think that?"

"Hello? It's like whoever's wearing that thing becomes a guy magnet. And apparently, Nate's not excluded from that category."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't get girl talk sometimes. Let's just get the guys and go home."

Ember looked over my shoulder, seeing the three Grays still talking to Sharmane. "Maybe not."

I sighed. "Well, all's back to normal then."

Ember put her arm around me. "Well, you know guys."

I smiled, a little bit cheered up. "So true."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Nate!" Shane shouted through the darkness, his arm reaching down from the roof. He couldn't see him. "Nate!!!"_

_--_

_"Um... he sort of fell off the roof," Shane said, making me slap his arm hard._

_"And you call that a little accident?!" I scolded as he winced._

_Mr. Gray walked over to Nate's bed. "This isn't good. Nate doesn't have his memory and he's disappeared."_

_--_

_Nate shook his head. "How do you know my name?!"_

_"Nate it's me, Ash, your teammate. Don't you remember?"_

_"All I remember is that I'm part of Natsuke's group. I'm not a G.R.A.Y spy."_

_"Nate, you have to remember. You are a spy. You are on our side. And you are my best friend. Nate if you can't remember anything else you have to at least remember me."_


	20. SPECIAL: Gone Away Pt1

_In a three-part special, Ash comes home and finds that Nate has lost his memory, and disappears to join the enemy. With Ember, Jason, and Shane, can Ash bring herself to bring back her best friend? In a side story, Ash tries to write her very first song, and is having a terribly hard time with it too._

* * *

**Chapter 20: SPECIAL- Gone Away Pt.1**

**--SHANE'S POV--**

I was in a mission at the moment with Nate and Jason. We were fighting these Japanese ninja-themed bad guys at the roof of a museum in Maine.

"Ugh," I groaned hitting the floor.

"Shane you alright?!" Jason shouted as he decked another ninja.

I sat up and rubbed my head. "I think." When I got my vision back I saw a ninja coming at me. Luckily I was able to backfire the attack in one swift move. I sighed from relief and tried to get up. I stayed steady and continued fighting the countless ninja bad guys.

"Argh, these guys keep on coming," Jason said behind me, both of us catching our breaths.

"I know," I said, sounding just as exhausted. If you're wondering about Ash, she's not here at the moment. She's at home, sitting out on the mission. Why though you ask?

**--FLASHBACK--**

__

"What do you mean you can't make the mission?" I asked as we all sat in our living room with out Dad, him just finishing giving us the instructions for our next mission.  
Ash rubbed her neck uncomfortably. "Uh, my Mom and I are doing something today."  
Jason made a face. "Like what?"  
She kept her eyes down. "We're, visiting my Dad at the cemetery. I-It's the anniversary of his death today."  
Our heads shot up. We didn't know what to say right now, afraid it might be something wrong and could upset Ash.  
"I'm sorry, Ashley. Of course you can sit this one out," our Dad spoke up with an approving nod.  
"Do you want me to come with you?" Nate volunteered almost immediately.  
She smiled weakly. "Thanks Nate, that's really sweet of you, but someone needs to go on the mission, you know."  
"You sure?" Jason asked.  
She nodded, her usual smile back on her face. "Don't worry! I'll be fine!"  
Nate sighed. "If you say so, Ash."  
I smirked with my arms crossed. "You sure you don't want Nate to come, Ash? You may need a shoulder to cry on," I said teasingly. I saw Nate blush as he sent me a death glare.

**--END FLASHBACK--**

And here we are now. But, little did we know about what was to happen.

As Jason and I fought, we saw Nate having a hard time, since he had a lot of ninjas coming at him. Suddenly we saw one of them kick Nate towards the ledge of the roof. Jason's and my eyes widened as we ran towards him. Time seemed to have slown down as we ran towards our little brother who started to fall. Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time. As I hit the floor, my arm outstretching downwards towards Nate who has already fallen, Jason called for backup from G.R.A.Y.

"Nate!" I shouted through the darkness, my arm reaching down. I couldn't see him. "Nate!"

**--ASH'S POV--**

I was in the car with my Mom, driving back home. I was starring out the radio too.

Mom looked over at me. "You alright Ash?"

I blinked and starred at the by passing houses and stores. "I'm alright." We just went over to another city. Dad was buried in his hometown. Otherwise, I would have visited him more often instead of just once a year. But with gas prices, school, and an undercover life as a spy, you can get a little busy. But I know Dad understands my 'busy schedule'.

"I guess it was nice, going over to Jersey City," I said, still leaning against the window. "It was nice seeing Peter again."

Mom smiled. "You and Peter are such good friends."

I smiled too. "Yeah. He was there to help me calm down while you made the funeral arrangements. Natewas still here in Wyckoff."

She laughed. "If I didn't know you better I'd say you two were dating."

My eyes widened. "Nate are I aren't dating!"

She laughed again. "I was talking about Pete."

I saw a blush in my reflection in the window as I stayed quiet. Me and my big mouth. Pete was a friend of mine in Jersey City, the neighbor of my grandparents where my mom and I stayed. And one thing describes him, music. It was kinda cool, but normal since the guys also are kinda into music. He was there to comfort me until the funeral. Then it was Nate doing all the comforting. I see Pete ever year Mom and I got to Jersey City too visit Dad's grave. Yesterday he gave me a little guitar lesson since he says Ive got a good voice, good enough to sing professionally. But I objected. Though he suggested I write songs, since I happen to have 'a lot of different experiences' that would make great ideas for songs. I had no idea what that meant but he was a good friend so I was willing to try, if I'd be able to come up with anything. But of course I never told him about G.R.A.Y.

Eventually, we arrived in my driveway. It was good to be home. Mom went to get our bags from the back as I rushed into the house.

"Ember! Hey we're back!" I shouted, coming up the stairs. I went into my bedroom and found it empty. "That's weird."

Mom came up behind me, carrying my bag. "What's weird? Besides that you have only one bag?"

"Ember's not here," I said, looking at our beds. Mine was the same, all made and clean. Ember's bed was still unmade, which is also weird since it's usually made.

"Maybe she's with the Grays," Mom said, walking off to her room after dropping off my bag. "Knowing your friends they probably had a hard time replacing you yesterday."

I rolled my eyes, remembering their mission. "Yeah not really."

I got our my cellphone and called Ember. After a couple rings, I heard her pick up. "Hello?"

"Ember, where are you?"

"You're home?" she asked. "Quick, come down to the hospital, right now."

I picked my head up. "What? Why? How come?"

"It's Nate," she said, struggling with her voice.

At the sound of her answer, my eyes widened and I hung up, grabbing my winter coat. "Mom! I'll be back!" I ran down the stairs after grabbing my gloves and stormed out. I grabbed a bus and went down to the hospital. After arriving in the waiting room, I saw the entire Gray Family in the corner, secluded and as tense as ever.

"Ash!" Ember cried, standing and hugging me.

"Ash I am so glad you're here," Jason said giving me a hug too.

"Oh gosh, what happened?"I asked, letting go as Shane hugged me.

"Nate got into a little accident on the mission," Shane said as he rubbed my back.

"W-What kind of accident?" I asked nervously as I got out of his arms.

"Um... he sort of fell off the roof," Shane said, making me slap his arm hard.

"And you call that a little accident?!" I scolded as he winced.

"Ash, Ash calm down," Jason said, sitting me down in a chair. "A G.R.A.Y doctor is taking care of Nate right now and he's being givin special attention. So don't worry."

I sighed, breathing into my hands. "Oh my gosh."

Aiden sat on my lap. "Are you worried about Nate?"

I hugged him, my head resting on top of his. "Yeah. He is my best friend after all."

Aiden hugged me and I hugged him too. I was so lucky to have these people to comfort me. After losing my Dad, I was afraid of losing Nate too. That would be just too much. Just then a familiar kid arrived by us. Remember Tommy, G.R.A.Y's not-so-famous 12-year old kid doctor. But of course no one except G.R.A.Y knew that.

I blinked. "You're the doctor?"

He gave me a smug smile. "Uh-huh. Anyway, Nate is in his room."

"Is he alright?" Mr. Gray asked.

Tommy nodded. "Yes. Nothing broken, by which I'm surprised. But, he may have hit his head though."

"Well duh, he fell off a roof," Shane said with an attitude.

Ember hit him for being impolite. "Anyway, is he ok enough for us to go see him?"

"Sure. You can go. But he might still be asleep resting. And... a few other things."

I made a face. "What's that?"

"Nate has selective memory loss," Tommy explained. "So I'm not sure if he'll remember you."

"Nate got whative who loss now?" I repeated, my stomach getting tight knots. What did this kid just say?

"Oh my gosh," Ember said, covering her mouth.

I could tell Shane and Jason were just as shocked, but kept still and calm, being the men.

"Is it permanent?" Aiden asked curiously. It made me wonder. _Will_ he remember?

"It's hard to tell," Tommy shrugged. "You can go see him now though."

We all got up from our little corner ad down the hall. I was rushing though, ahead of everyone.

__

'No,' I thought, running with a bewildered expression on my face. _'Nick it can't be.'_

I opened the door and gasped, seeing his bed empty. His bed was empty with the white covers pushed to the side. The window was wide open as the curtains flowed with the cold winter breeze. Eventually the others arrived behind me, looking just as surprised. This is _way_ too much drama for me right now.

"Please tell me he's in the bathroom," Shane said nervously.

"Shane there is no bathroom in here," Ember stated.

"Well sorry for trying to come up with positive suggestions," Shane said back.

Mr. Gray walked over to Nate's bed. "This isn't good. Nate doesn't have his memory and he's disappeared."

I sighed. "Nate."

Jason placed a hand on my shoulder as he looked straight forward towards his dad. "We'll take it from here Dad. We'll find Nate."

Mr. Gray nodded. "You sure?"

"Yes, we will," Jason assured. "We're going to find him."

He sighed. "Very well. I'll be back at the house and try to find him from there. Aiden let's go."

After the two Grays left the room and closed the door, Jason went over to the bed, taking out his gadgets. While he and Shane tried to investigate too, I went over to the window, looking out.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Ember asked, coming over to me.

I looked downwards, seeing a long way down. "You know me. I'm just worried, that's all. What if Nate is out there somewhere? Waiting for us?.... But, that wouldn't be reality since he probably doesn't even remember us."

Ember smiled comfortingly and hugged me. Oh gosh, what's gonna happen now?

--

I was in the kitchen of the Gray's wearing my pj's and cat ear hat. I had a notepad with a few things written down. I told you I'd try and take Peter's suggestion.

Jason got hot chocolate fresh out of the microwave. Aiden and Mr. Gray were asleep already.

"Here you go, Ash," Jason said, placing three in front of us on the table.

"Thanks," I muttered, my hands together on my lap, slightly cold. "Did you guys find anything?"

"Nothing from Nate," Shane told. "But he got out through the window. He could be anywhere by now."

I looked down at my hot chocolate. All day all I've been thinking about was Nate.

"But I'm sure we'll find him soon!"Jason assured, trying to brighten up our mood.

"Yeah but," I said. "It's kinda hard to believe. I know we're trying hard to find Nate but it just seems.... I don't know."

Jason rubbed my back. "You know that if you got memory loss then suddenly disappeared that Nate would be searching his hardest for you too."

Shane laughed at the idea. "More like panicking. If Nate found either of us slacking off he'd wail an air horn in our ears and say _'Are you two insane?! Ash's missing and you're just gonna sit there?! Come on and help me!'_

I laughed at Shane's imitation. "Sitting around like we are now?"

Shane softened his face and smiled. "Come on Ash. We've all been working all day, especially you. I'm sure Nate would want for you to be healthy and willing rather than exhausted and snoring."

I laughed again. "I do not snore."

"Yeah but it's part of my expression,"Shane said, holding his hands up. "And I got you to laugh again."

I smiled and drank some of my hot chocolate. "What does Nate do to calm himself down during this kinds of situations?"

Jason sat back in his chair. "He always stays in his bed and just lays there, thinking. But that's Nate for you."

"I guess that's true," I said.

"But when he was younger he'd always write down what he felt and turned it into a song," Shane mentioned. "He doesn't do that anymore now but it helped him back then."

I smiled, remembering the days before G.R.A.Y and always playing music. I guess Nate always wrote his songs through experiences. If that was the case, he's been through a lot of experiences. "But I don't sing. You guys know that."

"Still," Jason said. "It'd help. Don't you know how to play any instruments?"

I looked up. "Peter taught me how to use the guitar yesterday."

"Who's Peter?" they both asked at the same time, making me chuckle.

"Just a friend who lives in Jersey City. While my Mom and I were there yesterday he's the one who kept me company. We see eachother each year so it's kinda fun. He liked music a lot and somehow persuaded me to learn how to use a guitar so I can 'write songs'."

"So you can play it?" Shanee asked with a slight smile.

I shrugged. "I only had one day to learn. Not even. But I guess I got the basics, whatever those are. And I guess I got some lyrics for the song."

Shane took my notepad and Jason looked over at it with him. "_In these eyes, more than words, more than anything that I've spoken. As the skies turned to grey, my heart's just about to crack open. So the story goes, there's something you should know, before I walk away and I blow the ending,_" Jason read.

Shane raised his eyebrows. "Nice."

"No it isn't. Seems like rambling to me," I muttered, looking off to the side.

"Well, I guess you can call it rambling, but most good songs start out like this," Jason told me. "What's it about anyway?"

I shrugged. "That's just it, I don't know either. I suppose.... it's about all the bad things that always seem to happen in my life."

Shane blinked. "Well that sounds like a very depressing song."

I laughed. "Yeah, but Peter and Nate taught me that a song tells a story. And like most stories, each one has a conflict. And I guess in this song... it starts out with that kind of beginning, the conflict... But, I don't know how it's gonna turn out. I don't even know if I'm even gonna end up using those lyrics." I laughed. "I wish Nate was here. He'd be able to help me with this like I used to help him."

Jason smiled. "Don't worry, more inspiration will come once you see something. Now, sleep well alright? We got school tomorrow."

They left the kitchen and up through the stairs to their room, not feeling like using the elevator. I stayed here in the kitchen, thinking about my little lecture, until Shane came back down the stairs, grabbing the two mugs of hot chocolate and going back up. I laughed and drank down more hot chocolate. Maybe I could work on a song, for old times sake. Might help me calm down.


	21. SPECIAL: Gone Away Pt2

_In a three-part special, Ash comes home and finds that Nate has lost his memory, and disappears to join the enemy. With Ember, Jason, and Shane, can Ash bring herself to bring back her best friend? In a side story, Ash tries to write her very first song, and is having a terribly hard time with it too._

* * *

**Chapter 21: SPECIAL- Gone Away Pt.2**

I was in science class, outlining the next lesson. Boredly by the way, seeing as I still had Nick on my mind. I thought I'd be better by now. I mean, I know Nate. He's a strong guy. He can take care of himself.... if he had his memory. Out of frustration I banged my head into my textbookok. Why does my mind have to be so, so, confusing?

All of a sudden, I heard my watch beeping. Yes, mission time! Something for me to get my mind off Nate.... I hope. "Bathroom!"

After getting out of class I sped down the hallway. I made a turn and saw Jason and Shane coming down their paths, Shane rushing down another hall and Jasonn sliding down the staircase. We ran out of the school building and sneaked out, heading back to the Gray's fire house. There we made it to the living room where Mr. Gray was already**.**

"Whats the mission this time?" Jason asked, jumping over the couch.

"Robbery, in the town's mall," he said, pressing the button on his remote and the TV screen showing a panic going on in our local mall, there showing those ninjas and their leader, Natsuke.

Shane glared at the screen. "Hey those are the same stupid ninjas that knocked Nate off the roof!"

I looked at him then back at the screen. "_Them_?"

"Oh yeah," Jason nodded, answering my question.

I stood up. "Well then, let's go. I have a bone to pick with them."

Shane smirked. "Ooh, mad girl. They're in for it now now."

I pulled Shane's ear, walking to the door with a vein on my forehead. "Yeah, including you if you keep up those comments."

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" Shane whined as I dragged his ear.

Jason stood up too. "Uh, I better go, keep Ash's temper under control." And with that he ran out following me and Shane to the door. We were gonna have Jason drive us to the mall. I mean, we weren't gonna take a jet to go a few blocks.

--

We arrived there, in our normals clothes. Didn't need our spy outfits here.

"Now what?" Shane asked, looking around all the chaos.

"Just split up, try and stop as many as possible," Jason said. "I'lltake the top floor, Ash the second, Shane here." The three of us went our separate ways and went around, pounding on the ninjas and protecting the people. These guys were easy, but it was the number that was the problem. No wonder the guys must have had a hard time on that mission yesterday.

"Hiyya!" I shouted, jumping off a small staircase and knocking out two ninjas. I ran into a store, seeing one of the ninjas running in there. I smirked and ran after him. I'm not leaving any of these guys out. I ran into the clothing store. It was like a maze, since there were so many sections and that it was empty, no people except me and the ninja. You're probably wondering, why am I chasing all around this giant clothing store for this one ninja? Well don't look at me because I don't know either.

"Aha!" I shouted, jumping out of one of the dressing rooms and taking him down to the ground. I wrestled with him for a while, each of us trying to pin the other down to win. Eventually I pulled of his mask and found Nate's face. I froze and dropped the mask from shock. "Nate-"

He caught me off guard and pinned me down. "Ha, not so tough now, huh spy?"

I blinked, him on my back as I lifted my head from the floor. "What the-" All of a sudden a bunch more ninjas appeared, surrounding me. "Oh now what?"

I saw that Natsuke guy come in, smirking with his arms crossed. "Oh, what do we have here. A llittle miss trouble maker I see."

I growled. "I am_ not _little. OW!" I felt something sharp hit my arm.

My eyes looked back up and I saw Nate with the needle in my arm, smirking. "Goodnight."

"Ugh, what is it with me and needles?" Eventually I felt my eyes drift downwards as my head fell back down. All feeling went away. The needle, Nate on my back, the cold floor, everything. But one thing was for sure, I was definitely confused.

**--SHANE'S POV--**

"We lost Ash," Jason said.

Our dad looked at us like we had two heads, as Ember's and Aiden's mouths dropped open.

"You lost her?" Aiden repeated.

"I-It's not as bad as it seems!" I said, trying to defend ourselves.

"You call loosing Ash not as bad as it seems?!" Ember snapped, grabbing my shirt. She was flaring all her anger at me, as usual. "If I didn't know better I'd say it was those stupid ninjas who took Nate in the first place!"

"We know, that's what we were thinking too," Jason said, breaking me and Ember up. "Ash still has her watch and earrings so we can use that to track her down. Surely if the ninjas have her, wherever she is, sure enough Nate is too."

"So you'll bring them back?" Aiden asked with a smile.

"And not in hysterics?" I added. "If Ash is with Nate right now who, let me remind you, doesn't remember zip, she could be all emotional and be balling her eyes out right now."

Ember looked at me. "Are you calling girls overly emotional?"

"Well duh. Of course all girls are overly emotional. They're all into love dramas and sentimental romances. One little thing and they flip into crying panic mode."

Ember and I began arguing again while Aiden sighed. Dad turned to Jason. "I trust you'll be in charge of things."

"What other choice do you have at this point?" Jason said, watching me and Ember still bickering.

**--ASH'S POV--**

I groaned and opened my eyes, seeing darkness. My last memory processed through my mind and I shot up straight. "Oh my gosh what just happened?" I whispered to myself. I looked around and saw I was in some sort of cellar. "Jason!..... Shane!..... Please don't tell me we're in jail because we were speeding or something!.... Hello!..." I guess it really was those ninja who took me. Great.

I stood up and looked around. It was like half the size of my bedroom, all made of stone. No light. Everything was walls except one wall that was metal iron bars, like those old type jail cells. I don't know if they're still like that considering I've never been to a jail. I went to the iron bars and looked out. It was a hallway, along with many other metal bar cells. And unfortunately, I was the only one here, in the dark. Wow don't I feel safe.

I tried to bend the metal bars. Yeah no luck. I looked at my wrist and found they took my watch. "Shoot."

"Hey," said a voice, coming down the stairs at the end of the hallway.

I looked up. "What? Who's there?" Once I saw his face I saw Nate there. I didn't change my face though, but I was somewhat relieved it was only him. But, what was he doing here? "Nate please tell me your undercover on the enemy's side."

He stopped in front of me. "How do you know my name?"

I gave him a look. "Say what now?"

Nate shook his head. "How do you know my name?!"

I placed a finger in my ear. "Geez, no need to shout. It's just the two of us in here anyway."

"I know. That's why I snuck down here. You know my name and yet I've never met you before."

Wait, memory loss. Ugh why does thing have to be complicated for me? "Nate, forget that right now. What is the _last_ thing you remember?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Two days ago, when you woke up, what do you remember?"

He gave me a strange look as he placed his hands on the iron bars. "Who are you anyway? How do you know all this about me?"

I slid my hands down the bars so I touched his. "Nate it's me, Ash, your teammate. Don't you remember?"

"All I remember is that I'm part of Natsuke's group. I'm not a G.R.A.Y spy."

I chuckled. "Well you seem too nice for the job of a ninja. If you were a _real_ ninja, you would have killed me back at that mall instead of just pinning me down and knocking me out."

He blushed. "Well, I, just wanted to figure out why you knew my name. And it wouldn't help if I killed you."

I rolled my eyes. "Even if you can't remember anything, nice cover."

"Can't remember what?!"

I sighed "Nate, you _have_ to remember. You _are_ a spy. You _are_ on our side. And you _are_ my best friend. Nate if you can't remember anything else you have to at least remember me."

He shook his head and backed away, me loosing touch of his hands under mine. "No, forget this. Forget I even came down here. It was a mistake."

I watched him run off and back up the stairs. I watched sadly, my best friend running away from me. "Nate." Though he doesn't remember anything, he's still stubborn. I went to the corner of mycell and sat down, trying to think. I remembered that the guys told me that Nate fell off the roof when the ninjas came on their last mission. I remembered that Nate ended up in the hospital with memory loss. I remember he escaped through the window.... Or maybe, it was those ninjas. Maybe they took Nate here before he woke up and somehow persuaded him he was on their side. I shot my head up with a bewildered expression on my face. "Talk about your soap dramas." And I was right. Nothing beats a teenage undercover spy who's best friend/teammate lost their memory and went to the dark side. Well, all's good. I still have Shane and Jason to rely on..... Ok I have Jason to rely on.

**--SHANE'S POV--**

"Remind me again why _I'm_ coming?" Ember said as we drove in Jason's car.

"Because I need someone serious to help keep Shane in check. And since we don't have either Nate or Ash, you were my only choice."

Shane rolled his eyes. "Anyway, how much farther? We're already in the woods."

"Well I'd call this a good hiding spot for a bunch of ninjas," Jason said as we drove through the dark. "And besides, this is where Ash is, according to our tracking device."

"I hope so," I said, looking out the window.

**--ASH'S POV--**

I was asleep in my corner, sitting up with one knee up and my arm draped over it. Suddenly I heard a sound and opened one of my eyes. There I saw Nate again, outside my cellar. "Yes, stranger?"

"Thought you'd want something to drink," Nate said, holding a water bottle.

I sighed and brought myself up, dusting myself off. "Sure it's not another poison thing like that needle you stuck in my arm?"

"Sorry, sorry. Geez, no wonder we don't have any girl ninja around here."

I gave him a weird glare as I took the water bottle through the bars. I drank down half of it, Nate watching me the whole time.

"Boy are you thirsty."

"Well duh. I haven't had anything since yesterday. Of course I'd be thirsty."

We both laughed a bit and looked away, feeling a bit awkward. Especially about yesterday. Suddenly I felt something fall out of my pocket and saw my small notepad and pen fall onto the ground. I quickly scrambled to the floor to pick it up.

"What's that?" Nate asked. "Or is that another thing that I don't remember?"

I chuckled. "Don't worry, pretend you never saw this before."

"But seriously. What is that anyway? You got stuff written down."

"Just, some song I'm writing, that's all," I said nervously. I worked on it some more last night.

"Can I see it?"

"I don't show anything to the enemy. Let alone songs that I write," I said with a smug look on my face.

He laughed. "But you said that we're best friends."

"Yeah but you don't remember it," I muttered, sitting down on the floor with my back against the bars

"Well, I want to remember now," Nate said, kneeling down behind me.

I turned around. "Why now?"

He smiled. "If you were that determined yesterday, I guess you must have some reason. Maybe I do have memory loss or something."

"What about Natsuke or any other ninjas lurking around wherever this place is?"

He laughed. "Don't worry about them. They're out right now. That's why I decided to come down now."

I smirked. "I thought you came down to give me water."

He rolled my eyes. "You want me here or not?"

I laughed and punched his shoulder through the metal bars.

"Ow, what was that for?"

I laughed. "Nothing. Does it ring a bell though because I did that a lot."

"Nothing except that sore sport there."

"Then I guess my previous punches haven't worn off yet."

We laughed together, just like we always would. I knew Nate was too nice to be on the bad side. But geez what is taking Jason and Shane so long?

--

Nate and I sat here, taking all day long. It was kinda fun as I remembered a lot of memories with him, even though he wouldn't remember them anyway. But he says he wishes he could remember, since they sound like fun memories. And believe me, they were.

"And then the vacuum cleaner exploded and a bunch of syrup landed everywhere," I said, trying to speak straight.

Nate laughed. "Wow, then what did you guys do?"

"Haha, we had to try and clean it all before your dad came back."

"Well did you?"

"Yes," I answered. "But then Shane came down the stairs covered in syrup and blew our cover."

"Wow, that sounds like a crazy Thanksgiving."

I shrugged. "At least we still had the extra turkey my mom made." We heard noise upstairs, making us both look up. "What was that?"

"Natsuke must be back," Nate whispered.

"Let go of me!" Ember shouted from upstairs, making my eyes widen.

"Where's Ash! Give her back!" I heard Jason yell.

"Ash! Ash where are you! Yell if they killed you!" Shane shouted, only making me heard a thud.

"You moron. How could she yell if she was dead?" I heard Ember scold.

"Not like she'd _really_ be dead!" Shane shouted back.

"We're in the middle of nowhere in a giant Japanese tower filled with ninjas and swords and you say it's not a possibility she'd be dead?" Ember asked.

I banged my forehead against the bars. "Again, I only have Jason to rely on."

"Ash, you stay down here," Nate said, pulling his mask up over his face**.**

"But-" he was gone. I pouted and slid my arms down..... Ah forget this! Just because Nate says to stay down here I'm gonna do that? Geez whats wrong with me lately?

I back up and ran at the bars, giving them my strongest kick. I managed to bend it a bit and smirked. I repeated the process, resulting with large, loud bangs of metal. Eventually I broke though it and jumped out, blowing some hair out of my face. "Finally." I ran down the small hallway and up the stone stairs. I arrived at the top of the staircase and saw a giant old styled mansion, with the dark tiles, red carpet, dusty chandelier, your typical haunted mansion. Except there were ninjas everywhere. There I saw Jason fighting. Shane was on the other side of the room fighting too, protecting Ember.

"Hey guys!" I called over waving.

Shane looked up and grinned. "Ash you're alright!-" A ninja knocked him out, making him land on the ground with a thud.

Ember looked down then glared at all of the ninjas, cracking her knuckles. "No one knocks Shane out except me! Argh!"

I watched in amazement as Ember started fighting all of the ninjas by punching them out. Oh well, as long as they're ok. Suddenly a ninja came at me and I ducked, dodging a swing of his sword. My hands landed on the floor behind me, one strange of my hair cut off. "Ok, if I were doing limbo, I'd win." I did a flip and continued dodging attacks. I can't do anything with this guy's twin swords, unless I wanted to become sushi.

Just before he could attack again he was tackled to the ground by another ninja. "Stay away from her!"

I smiled. "Nate."

He smirked from the ground and pulled down his mask. "We may be on different sides at the moment, but I still want answers you know."

I smiled warmly at him, but then the 'moment' was ruined when the ninja turned over and tackled him too, making another fight. I glared and joined in on the cat fight, helping ate beat this one stubborn dude. After we finally knocked him out, more ninjas surrounded us, all after me.

"Well, are you gonna need help with these guys?" Nate asked, standing up beside me.

I gave him a look. "You sure you want to fight along side a G.R.A.Y spy?"

"No, but I'm willing to fight alongside my best friend."

I smiled and we both went into battle mode. Eventually I found that Natsuke guy sneaking away. I glared and jumped, doing flips over everyone to get too him. "Hey! Get back here!"

I gained up on him and appeared in front of him at a dead end. "Alright, why'd you take Nate?"

Natsuke laughed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I walked up to him and grab his shirt. "You know what I'm talking about. Now talk."

He smiled, eyes closed. "So what if we kidnapped one of your teammates. You've got a lot where they came from."

I pulled him closer, still as mad as ever. "You just don't understand, don't you." I've finally found some fear in his eyes. "You mess with any of our spies again, you'll get a lot more than just a knock out." I hit him against the wall and knocked him out. After that I ran back to the main room and saw a bunch of ninjas on the ground unconscious. "Wow you guys did a pretty good job."

"Ash!" Ember said,giving me a hug. Then Jason gave me one.

"You're ok," he said, hugging me.

I smiled. "Of course." I let go of him. "Where's Nate?"

"Right here," Nate said next to a still unconscious Shane. "Is this the same Shane you've been telling me about?"

I laughed. "Come on, let's call for these guys, get back home, get some rest. It's gonna be morning pretty soon," I said, looking out the window and seeing the moon.


	22. SPECIAL: Gone Away Pt3

_In a three-part special, Ash comes home and finds that Nate has lost his memory, and disappears to join the enemy. With Ember, Jason, and Shane, can Ash bring herself to bring back her best friend? In a side story, Ash tries to write her very first song, and is having a terribly hard time with it too._

* * *

**Chapter 22: SPECIAL- Gone Away Pt.3**

I was sitting in my bedroom, strumming the new guitar that Peter sent me in the mail. I strummed the strings then looked back at my notepad. "Ugh, how can making a song sound so hard?"

"Maybe because need to sing it?" Nate said at my door, his hands in his pockets.

I looked up, seeing him. "Oh, hey Nate. H-How'd you get in here?"

He looked around my room. "Your mom let me in."

"Ah," I said. Figures she would. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Ember's sleeping over at our place. Shane and Jason were wondering where you were and Ember said you were busy. They sent me over to see if you wanted to join us."

I laughed and looked down at my notepad. "Ah." I faced him. "So, you remember anything yet?"

He grabbed a chair and sat down beside me. "Afraid not."

"Oh," I said sadly.

He smiled to try and make me feel better. "Remember when you were in the cellar, and you told me about my past?"

I nodded. "Yeah?"

"You told me that you used to help me make my songs before I became part of G.R.A.Y. Maybe I can, return the favor."

"You mean, you help me with the song?"

"Sure. Unless you already finished it."

I laughed. "I got all my lyrics. And I think I know how to play it. It's just...."

"Just what?"

I laughed. "I don't sing, remember?"

He sighed. "Ash, come on. You said we're best friends right? Your mom left to go shopping for groceries. Ember's at my place with my brothers. It's just us. Please?"

I sighed. "Fine."

I starred strumming the guitar, and surprisingly well this try.

_In these eyes  
More than words, more than  
Anything that I've spoken  
As the skies, turned to grey my heart's  
Just about to crack open_

_So the story goes  
There's something you should know  
Before I walk away and I blow the ending_

_I never wanna be without you  
Oh, no, here I go now you know  
What I feel about you  
There's no runnin'  
I must have been wrong to doubt you  
Oh no there I go, no control  
And I'm fallin' so now you know__Feel so light, Craving oxygen  
__All this truth's left me empty  
Will you run, Can you handle it  
'Cause I need you to tell me_

_Maybe this is bold  
But I'm hoping you'll stay for the happy ending_

_I never wanna be without you  
Oh, no, here I go now you know  
What I feel about you  
There's no runnin'  
I must have been wrong to doubt you  
Oh no there I go, no control  
And I'm fallin' so now you know_

_So the story goes  
There's something you should know  
Before I walk away and I blow the ending_

_Never wanna be without you  
Oh, no, here I go now you know  
What I feel about you  
There's no runnin'  
I must have been wrong to doubt you  
Oh no there I go, no control  
And I'm fallin' so now you know_

Nate smiled as I kept my head down. I was too shy to do anything at the moment.

"That was nice," Nate complimented. "I don't remember any other songs but, I can tell this is the best one I've heard in a long time. Even if I did have my memory."

I laughed and smiled a little. "Thanks."

"You must really like the guy."

"What?" I asked instantly.

He smirked. "According to the chorus, you can't stand to be away from the guy."

"I.... I guess," I said, looking down.

He smiled at me. "Is it me?"

I blinked. Um, I guess it a way it was. Oh who am I kidding? Of course it's him! But what was I supposed to say? All of a sudden I felt tears starting to well up in my eyes.

"Ash, Ash are you okay?" Nate asked, grabbing my arms gently.

I wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry. I just miss the old you. I mean, you know, your memories. Makes me wish that you could just remember."

"Why? Am I acting more different than usual?" Nate asked, rubbing my back.

"No, you're being normal I guess. But you're being a lot more blunt instead of just the same shy Nate," I said with a small laugh.

He smiled. "So it is about me!"

I hit his arm. "See my point?"

He laughed and slung his arm around me. "Come on. Let's get back to my place, where everyone else is. I bet they're getting worried about us."

I sighed and wiped my face one more time, taking an exhale. "Right."

"You alright?" he asked, urning me towards him.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay," I said, removing my and and coming face to face with him. I felt a weird tingling feeling in me again. All of a sudden he gently placed his lips on mine, our eyes closed. But inside my head I was thinking O,M,G. And I don't say that a lot. After about five seconds we split up and looked at each other awkwardly and looked away. Oh, my gosh. Wow. Oh man I'll never act the same again will I.

"Um, w-we probably better get to the house," Nate said, standing up.

"Right, right," I said, standing up too and grabbing my coat. We rushed out of my house and down the block towards the fire house, not another word said except for small words.

**--**

It was morning and I was asleep in Nate's room, in my sleeping bag. All's back to normal I guess. Except for the fact I can't get the kiss out of my head! Oh mean, whoa. And I _mean_ whoa.

Eventually, I woke up to the sunlight from the bedroom window. I yawned and sat up, stretching my arms. I felt around and found my cat ear hat from yesterday and put it on. I climbed out of my sleeping bag and found Aiden already out of his bed, probably downstairs considering I could _smell_ breakfast. I looked and found Nate still asleep in his bed. I sighed and gathered up my strength. If I can do all this mission stuff, then surely I can wake up my best, a friend with whom I shared a kiss with yesterday night..... Yeah it's harder than it sounds.

"Nate?... Nate wake up," I said, trying to wake him up by shaking him. He just groaned and turned around, placing the covers over his head.

"Good morning," Shane said, poking his head through the elevator with Jason. "Aiden said you two were still asleep," he said with a grin.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Shut up, Shane."

Jason laughed and walked out of the elevator with Shane. "So Nate won't wake up yet?"

"Nope," I said, taking my arm back and giving up. "This guy is just as stubborn as I am when it comes to sleep, you know."

"Jason what day is it today?" Shane asked.

"Um, Wednesday?" Jason said unsure. "Why?"

"I've made a special schedule," Shane said, taking a folded up paper from his pocket. Jason and I looked at eachother with the same confused faces. "See here, _Nate_ is always the one who is hard to wake up, unless he's at your place," Shane explained, looking at me when saying the last part. "And so, I made a list of seven ways to wake up Nate, each day of the week, if he does not get up by breakfast."

I blinked. "Um.... how organized of you," I said somewhat a bit weirded out. And I thought the kiss was weird.

"So, uh, what's Wednesday's wake up call?" Jason asked.

Shane laughed and went to the closet, searching for something. "Air horn."

Jason and I looked at each other again with nervousness. Shane popped out of the closet, air horn in hand, and pressed that button, making us cover our ears. Nate screamed and fell out of his bed with a thud.

I opened one eye. "When I said we should wake him up, I meant I meant for him to _sit_ up, not _fall_ down."

The guys ran over to us while I jumped over the bed. Nate threw the covers off him and shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "Ow."

"Nate you alright?" Kevin asked.

"I think," Nate said, looking at us, then at Shane. "Shane I thought I said for you to throw out that air horn last week."

All three of us looked at him. "You remember?"

Nate looked at all of us weird. "Um, should I not remember?"

Shane laughed. "I knew it was a good idea to wake him up like this."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, he must have gotten his memory back when he fell off his bed."

Nate blinked. "I lost my memory?"

I turned him towards me. "Nate, do you remember _anything_ for the past two and a half days?"

"Last thing I remember is that mission at the museum."

I smiled and hugged him to the ground. "Welcome back!"

"Ah, Ash get off me!"

"Nope!"

Shane and Jason smiled, seeing me back to normal.

**--**

"_I must have been wrong to doubt you. Oh no there I go, no control. And I'm fallin' so now... you... know..._"

Shane called outside the recording studio. "Beautiful, just beautiful, Ash."

I smiled blushing, glad I was finally done singing. Me and the others were in the Gray's giant basement, recording my song. Jason and Shane didn't forget, but at least Nate did. You had no idea how relieved I was when I realised that.

"Awesome job, Ash," Ember said, coming into the soundproof room. "You should make more songs more often."

"Maybe. I don't think it's gonna be too often with school work and spy work."

"Hey Ash," the guys said, coming in through the door, only to get stuck and try to squeeze through. Ember and I laughed as they finally got through.

"Good job Ash, we'll have to burn that onto a CD for you," Jason said.

"Thanks," I said again.

"I say we celebrate with pizza!" Shane shouted, making him, Jason, and Ember run out and across the room towards the stairs. I took my time and removed my head phones, Nate coming over to me.

"So..." Nate said, being his old, same self. "You wrote that song by yourself."

I nodded. "Yup."

"Had fun writing it?"

I thought for a minute. "You can say it was an experience I'll never forget."

He smiled. "I guess you don't need me to show you about music anymore then, eh?"

I shook my head. "No, no. I think it'd be more fun to write songs with my friends instead of with my wall."

We laughed. "Sorry I couldn't be there to help you write your first song."

"You make it sound like it's as important as me learning to walk and be potty trained," I said back.

Nate shrugged. "Still, you know how I've always wanted for you to get back into singing. And I missed it because I had memory loss."

"At least you're back," I said, walking out of the booth with him.

"Yeah," he said. "Um, I didn't do anything too bad while I didn't remember anything, did I?"

My mind automatically thought of the kiss yesterday. "No, nothing at all. The closest thing to bad you did was side with those ninjas. Forget about it."

"Hey Nate! Ash!" Shane shouted from the top of the staircase. "Are you coming or what?! It's pizza here!"

I laughed. "Coming!" Shane nodded and left again. I headed up the stairs then stopped when I realized Nick wasn't following. "You coming?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'll be right up. Go," Nate said, waving his hand.

I nodded and went through the door, leaving Nate.

Meanwhile, he sighed and looked back at the empty booth. "She didn't say anything about the kiss." He was telling the truth when he said he didn't remember anything from when he fell off the roof, but for some reason he couldn't forget the oh-so familiar kiss he shared with his best friend yesterday night. And since neither would admit, it was probably best left to be forgotten... for now.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

"Yeah. It was the first time you ever got involved with one of our G.R.A.Y missions."

_I looked up, having a flashback in my mind. "Oh yeah. Exactly one week after I found out you guys were spies."_

_--_

__

"How long will you be gone?" the younger me asked curiously, handing him the last textbook. For 7th graders, we brought home a lot of books.

Nate shrugged. "It really depends on the mission. Sorry for leaving you with all the work again, Ash."

"I-It's ok. I can try and have my Mom help me," I said with a fake comforting smile as I adjusted the blue and purple cat ear hat on my head. Truth was, I didn't like having Nate go away all the time.

--

I smiled and linked my pinky with his. "Best friends."


	23. Kid Stuff Pt1

_While Nate and Ash split up from Shane and Jason on a mission, the two hide and talk. This leads to a flashback of the first time Ash ever got involved with a G.R.A.Y mission. In a side story, the younger Ash has to make a science fair project without the help of her parter, Nate._

* * *

**Chapter 23: Kid Stuff Pt.1**

"Quick! This way!"

Nate and I ran from the security guards. We were on a mission right now in New York City, New York. It was dark and rainy right now outside.

As we ran down the halls, I suddenly tripped and fell to the floor. Nate came to a stop and looked back at me. "Ash!"

"Help?" I said in a small whisper, sitting up. I tried to stand but then a huge surge of pain when through my left ankle, causing me to yelp. At least Nate came over to help me.

"Ash you alright?" he asked, kneeling down beside me.

"I think they went this way!" yelled one of the security guards.

"Nate you go. I'll say here," I said, trying not to sound hurt. "I can't walk anyhow."

Nate smirked. "Sorry, Ash. But you know me, I don't leave anyone behind."

I arched my eyebrows. "Nate what are you-"

I squealed as Nate picked me up in his arms and ran. My eyes went wide since I knew I had to keep from screaming, otherwise those security guards would hear me. Nate ran up the stairs and into this room. It looked like small closet big enough for us to hide in. Nate went inside and shut the door with a kick of his foot. He then layed me down on the floor against the wall. My hands immediately went to my ankle, trying to make the pain go away. Not working well.

"Ok, let's try this again. As are you ok?" Nate asked, concern in his voice.

"Well let's see, I have pain written all over my face, I can't walk, my hands are clutching onto my ankle for dear life. What does it look like Einstein?"

He made a small laugh and sat down beside me. He carefully took off my black boot and inspected my foot. "Can you move it?"

"Not without hurting it," I said with a pout. It was times like this I wished I had my cat ear hat to cover my eyes, since they felt a little watery. But I was in my black G.R.A.Y spy outfit right now, meaning no hat. But hey, you can't blame me for crying. When you're in pain, you cry. Nothing to it.

"I think you twisted it," Nate said, standing up and looking around the room.

I blinked, looking back down at my foot. "Twisted it? Hm, I haven't twisted my foot since I was a kid."

Nate laughed, finding the first aid kit on one of the closet's shelves. "Oh yeah, I remember that."

I looked up at him. "You do?"

Nate nodded, turning back to me. "Yeah. It was the first time you ever got involved with one of our G.R.A.Y missions."

I looked up, having a flashback in my mind. "Oh yeah. Exactly one week after I found out you guys were spies."

****

--FLASHBACK--

I was in my bedroom with Nate, trying to make our science fair project. Though the more likely truth was making an _idea_ for our science fair project.

"You got anything?" I asked broadly, laying in my bed with my legs crossed.

"I got nothing," Nate replied, laying my bed with me. His voice wasn't all older yet so I admit, it's kinda cute. Well, in present tense. This is my flashback, remember? We were bad brain stormers when it came to science fair projects. We'd pair with eachother each year since we'd be the only people who'd tolerate eachother, considering we both hated science at the time.

"What did Shane and Jason do for their science fair projects?" I asked after a few seconds. I hoped that'd give us some idea.

"How am I supposed to know?" Nate shrugged, starring at the ceiling like I was. "And besides, they do high school stuff. I can barely understand what they do."

"Ah," I said in realization. Suddenly I heard a beeping. Both our eyes went towards Nate's watch, which was going off.

"Mission?" I asked with that look on my face.

Nate nodded, turning off the beeping. "Unfortunately."

The both of us sat up from my bed and got off. I helped Nate gather his books and place them into his book bag.

"How long will you be gone?" I asked curiously, handing him the last textbook. For 7th graders, we brought home a lot of books.

Nate shrugged. "It really depends on the mission. Sorry for leaving you with all the work again, Ash."

"I-It's ok. I can try and have my Mom help me," I said with a fake comforting smile as I adjusted the blue and purple cat ear hat on my head. Truth was, I didn't like having Nate go away all the time. Before all this G.R.A.Y stuff came along, Nate and I would spend every single moment together, like best friends always do. Now he's always off saving the world doing who knows what while I'm stuck at home worrying about school, and worrying about him.

I sat at my windowsill, watching Nate run down the sidewalk to get to his house. I saw him turn his head and see me looking. He waved at me with that grin and I smiled too, waving back. That is, until he hit a pole. My hands went to cover my mouth and try to keep from laughing. "Oh Nate," I said in between giggles.

Luckily he didn't fall down. After rubbing his forehead, Nate gave me a thumbs up to signal he was ok. And I could have sword I saw him blush, but I guess it was just the sun playing tricks on my eyes. I nodded in acknowledgement and he resumed his running. Same old Nate I guess.

"I swear, you're becoming more like Joe everyday now." I turned back around, seeing my empty room, my school books all over the place.

My mom came to my door, seeing me gathering my books. "Ash."

"Hey Mom," I said, zipping my my bag.

"I saw Nate run out of here. What happened?"

"Nothing," I answered absentmindedly.

"I also saw him collide with a pole," she said with that amused look on her face.

I laughed. I'd never let Nate live that down. "I know. I saw. He just has some things he has to do with his brothers, that's all."

"Don't you usually run off with him? I always find you alone in your room now a days."

I looked out the window, seeing one of the G.R.A.Y jets taking off. "Nate's just being your average teenage guy now."

My mom made a sympathetic look and walked to me, handing me a 20 dollar bill. "Here."

I starred at her hand. "What's this for?"

"Go and treat yourself. I'd take you myself but I know you need your time alone."

I smiled and nodded, taking the 20. I thought she would have gave me a 10 only because it's only me, not me and Nate, but I wasn't gonna complain. This was what I loved about my mom. She wasn't nosey and over protective. She was like a big sister who knew when to give me space. And boy did I need it right now.

--

It was night right now, and I was at the ice cream parlor, trying to come up with some inspiration for the science fair project. I didn't want to go home right now. I couldn't think up anything there. Hey, at least here I had some ice cream.

I starred down at my blank white paper where I would write down the science project ideas. And, it was blank, no luck. Then I heard the door open, tiny bells ringing. My eyes looked up and saw this teenager. Probably a high school freshman or something. But I was only 12. What did I know?

Then when I least expected it, he came up and sat down in the chair across from me. "Hi."

I restrained myself from giving him a weird look and being impolite. "Um, hi."

He smiled. "Sorry. I'm new in this town. My parents are unpacking right now and they said I could explore."

I smiled. "Oh. So how do you like New Jersey so far?"

He shrugged. "It's pretty good. I thought about getting some ice cream here though. You got any recommendations?"

--**NATE'S POV--**

"What is that guy doing?" I said in a harsh whisper, watching the scene from a camera atop the roof of the ice cream parlor.

"Well whatever he's doing, he's with Ash, so we can't do anything to him right now," Jason told me.

"What do you mean we can't do anything? He's the bad guy! And it's our job to _catch_ the bad guy! Not let the bad the guy talk to my best friend!"

Shanee covered my mouth. "You've got a lot to learn little bro. I thought you would have gotten used to the process of being a G.R.A.Y spy by now."

I gave Shane a small glare. I wanted to get this mission over with as soon as possible, so I could get back to Ash. And now I see her talking with the enemy. She doesn't even know he's one of the bad guys we're after, let alone know that she's in danger.

"Oh wait," Shane said, turning to Jason with that smirk. "I think he's jealous."

My eyes widened as Jason formed a small laugh. "I guess that's one of the possibilities."

I removed Shane's hand from my mouth. "I'm not jealous! I'm being worried! I mean, w-what if he kidnaps her or something?"

My brothers looked at eachother. "Definitely jealous."

I groaned and held my head backwards. Actually, Shane may not be so wrong. Because somewhere deep within my mind, I suppose I was somewhat jealous, but being me, I had no idea if what I was feeling was jealousy. Well, there's my best girl friend, and another guy, talking alone in an ice cream parlor, _enjoying_ themselves. And I wanted to just punch the guy and keep him away from Ash. Is that jealousy?

Suddenly, the lights went out in the store. As people screamed, these men surrounded the building, ready to rob the place. Luckily, we were hiding on the roof un-noticed

"Well, they're here," Jason said worryingly.

Shane nodded. "Ok, _now_ we can go get Ash."

I sighed. "Finally."

"But be careful Nate. These guys use electricity as their weapons," Jason warned me as he stood up. "You get Ash out of there. Shane will go with you and try to stop the guys from robbing the store. I'll try and take care of these guys out here."

Shane and I nodded and jumped down.


	24. Kid Stuff Pt2

_While Nate and Ash split up from Shane and Jason on a mission, the two hide and talk. This leads to a flashback of the first time Ash ever got involved with a G.R.A.Y mission. In a side story, the younger Ash has to make a science fair project without the help of her parter, Nate._

* * *

**Chapter 24: Kid Stuff Pt.2**

After taking out one of those men, we barged into the now dark store, hearing the panicking of some people.

"Ash!" I shouted, trying to find her.

"Nate your glasses," Shane said before running off to find the guy that Ash was talking to, seeing that he was the one behind all of the roberies.

I put on my G.R.A.Y glasses and saw though the dark. I found a person on the ground. Even though I couldn't make out the person's specific details, I saw the outline of cat ears on the person's head, Ash's hat. I smirked and ran there. "Ash, Ash that you?"

"Nate?" the person said from surprise.

Ash's voice, it's gotta be her. I didn't respond and picked her up on my back. "Hold onto my neck. We're getting out of here."

She didn't ask any questions and did as I told. I ran out of the ice cream parlor. Some of the men began running after us, so I picked up my pace. Jason and Shane were too busy to worry about me at the moment. As I ran, I felt Ash's grip around my neck tighten. Her face was against my neck, wet? Was she crying?

After I thought I finally lost them, I arrived at the park. It was night, so the only lights were from the lamp posts. I went to one of the trees with the small opening, so the inside was like a room. Ash and I went here a lot just to hang out or do work together. No one else knew about this, so I figured it would be a good hiding place, for the mean time.

After crawling inside, I set Ash down, seeing her tear-stained face. "Ash are you ok? You're crying."

She sniffled as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Y-Yeah. It's just my ankle."

I looked down and removed her shoe. "Your ankle's bleeding."

She nodded with a pained look on her face. "Yeah. I think I twisted it too. I can't walk."

My face saddened. I hated seeing Ash crying like this. I got some bandages from my belt. I always had to carry these around, being a spy. While I tried to heal her ankle, I heard thunder outside. It was raining now.

"There, all done," I said.

She smiled a little. "Thanks, Nate**."**

I nodded and sat down behind her and removed my fingerless gloves. I was still wearing my G.R.A.Y clothes. "Are you sure you're ok? Did it really hurt that much?"

She starred down at the ground, hugging her knees. "Not anymore."

"Then why are you still crying?" I asked, seeing her eyes watery still as an occasional tear slipped away.

Ash hessitated to answer. "Truthfully, I was actually worried about you."

My head jumped from surprise. "You were?"

She shyly nodded. "Yeah. Every time you leave home or school, I'm always left alone, wondering if you're ok. Are you hurt? Do you need help? Will you come back home alright?"

I starred at her. Ash's eyes were getting watery all over again.

"I know you're a spy, and I know it's your job to go off and do all this, but I just get too worried about you guys. You have no idea how scared I get at night if you're still out on a mission."

"Ash, I didn't know."

She nodded. "Sorry for being such a crybaby. I'm ,I'm a kid. I guess I can't help these things. And I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore ever since my dad went away. When you're gone over night... it's like you just went away forever or something... like my dad did."

I made a comforting smile, placing an arm around her. "Don't worry about us, Ash. We're G.R.A.Y spies, we always come back home."

She kept her stare down, avoiding eye contact. "Why would you want to come home? The world seems a lot more interesting than here. You get to meet new people, see new places, experience different things. Compared to that, I just seem like a bother."

"Ash, nothing in the world can replace this. It's where I grew up after all." I looked at her. "Not to mention I can't replace my best friend."

"So? You can just find another best friend out there. Makes me wonder if you think about me during your missions."

I laughed. "Actually I do."

She looked at me. "Why?"

I looked up, trying to think up all the reasons. "For one, we're best friends, so of course I'm always thinking about you. Plus since we're always together, I know you're not used to being alone. Sometimes _I _wonder if you're ok. If you're hurt or anything, I'm not there to help you feel better. I wonder if I missed out on anything important on your life while I was gone on missions. Maybe since I'm always gone, maybe you found a new best friend to replace me."

She layed her head on my shoulder, making me slightly blush. It was times like these I'd question myself as to _why_ I blushed. "Nate, I could never replace you. I guess in the end we're always worrying about eachother."

I laughed. "That's true."

She sat back up and looked at me, no longer crying. She held out her pinky. "I know we seem a bit old to do this, but let's make a pinky promise. No matter how far apart we are, we'll always think about eachother. We'll always help eachoher whenever one of us needs it. Best friends."

I smiled and linked my pinky with her's. "Best friends." And with that, we shook our pinkies together up and down. It was official. "Does this mean you'll cover for me at school when I'm gone?"

Ash laughed and punched my arm, making us both laugh. "Alright spy, go on. I'll wait here. You still need to help your brothers catch the bad guy."

"You sure you'll be ok here?" I asked.

She gave me that sweet smile. "As long as you don't forget to come back and bring me home. Remember I can't walk right now."

I smiled and nodded, leaving Ash as she waved me off, both of us with new confidence.

**--ASH'S POV--**

I rang the doorbell and I saw Shane open it. "Oh, hey Ash." He looked down, seeing me using crutches and a cast around my left foot. "What happened to you?"

"Turns out I broke my leg," I said with that sheepish grin I always wear. "Is Nate home yet? I haven't seen him in a while."

"Upstairs with Jason working on the science fair thingy or whatever you wanna call it," Shane said, helping me in. "They've been working all afternoon and said they didn't wanna be bothered by me. At least now I can use you to sneak a peak at what they're working on."

I laughed at his choice of words. "Good, because in the end it's my grade too."

We went into the elevator and to one of the top floors, Shane's and Jason's room.

Jason groaned. "Shane I thought I told you not to come up here."

Shane grinned as the elevator door came open. "Well I have an excuse this time, I brought Ash."

I popped out behind Shane as an attempt as a surprise. "Hi!"

"Ash!" Nate said smiling. "You're back from the hospital."

I nodded. " They say I should be ok in a few weeks. So I see you guys are working on the science fair project."

Nate nodded and helped me sit down on a chair. "Yeah. I was desperate for help with you not here, so I went to my brothers for help."

Jason laughed. "If you guys needed help you should have come to us in the first place."

"So what is it?" I asked excitingly.

"Yeah tell us tell us tell us tell us!" Shane said, jumping on his bed and making me laugh.

Nate went over to the tiny contraption that he and Jason were working on. "We used one of the G.R.A.Y gadgets as our idea."

I looked at what Nate was holding. "You made a pen?"

Jason laughed, taking it. "Not just any pen." He pressed a button at the top and fired a laser, hitting a bull's eye on a dart board and making a hole go through it. I looked at it with wide eyes and Jason blew off some smoke at the top. "If this doesn't get an A-plus I don't know what will."

I grinned. "Sweet." Things were definitely gonna be easy from now on now that Nate and I don't have to worry about eachother anymore. Yup, just kid stuff.

**--END FLASHBACK--**

I laughed. "Oh man, I remember that."

Nate laughed too. "You know, I almost forgot you until Shane asked where you were."

My eyes widened as I punched his arm. "So much for that pinky promise!"

Nate laughed, rubbing his shoulder. "Sorry, sorry." He smiled and looked at me. "Thinking back, we don't hang out as much as we used to. I mean, yeah we're always togther but it's always for G.R.A.Y work or school, never normal teenager stuff."

I nodded. "Yeah. I guess I kinda miss that."

"Hey guys," Jason's voice said from our watches.

"Yeah?" we both answered.

"Where the heck are you guys?" Shane said as I heard them running.

I was about to answer until Nate did. "Um, do you guys think you can handle this one? Ash and I can't make it right now, too many guards."

"Alright then," Shane said, hanging up.

I looked at Nate. "What'd you do that for?"

He shrugged. "Well I'm not gonna leave you alone for a second time. Besides, Shane and Jason can handle he rest of this mission without us. I'd rather stay here and keep you company."

I smiled. "Aw, thanks. But whatever happened to the mission coming first?"

"New rule: my best friend comes first. The mission's second."

I grinned and hugged him by surprised, making him blush yet again. "Yay! I'm more important than the mission! And that's saying something when it comes from you."

Nate laughed. "That almost sounds like an insult in the end."

I let go of him. "But what are we gonna do now? You're stuck in a janitor's closet with a girl who can barely stand. Seems kinda borring when you think about it."

Nate thought for a moment. "Wanna play 20 questions?"

I nodded smiling again. "Ok."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

__

"We're going as undercover who to an all what now?"

"You know I expected that kind of reaction," Shane said, nodding.

--

"Um, Nate, a little too close for comfort there," I said, poking him in the chest and pushing him a little bit back.

"Maybe I _wanna_ be closer," he said, placing his hands on the wall, cornering me in front of him.

--

"Ugh, why can't you just give up and leave it to proffesionals?" Tristian groaned.

"Because we _are _the professionals," I said, referring to Nate and me. "But he's out like a light so I'm the school's last chance. Now are you gonna help me or aren't you?"

Tristina thought and then sighed. "I'm gonna regret this, but ok."


	25. All Boys Pt1

Ash and Nate go on a mission together without Shane and Jason. Except, it's as undercover students to all all boys school in Florida! Can Ash pull off her mission without the crazy interfearance of a strange happening going around the all boys school? In a side story, Shane, Jason, Ember, and Aiden try to catch mice in the fire house.

* * *

**Chapter 25: All Boys Pt.1**

I was in my bedroom, sleeping the afternoon away. Well obviously whenever you mention that part in the beginning of a story, there's always someone to wake the person up.

"ASH WAKE UP!"

I screamed and shot up, seeing Shane in front of my bed, Jason and Nate behind him. "Ugh, why'd you wake me up?"

"We have a mission," Nate told me. "Didn't you hear your watch go off?"

I looked at my wrist and found it watchless. "Oh. I guess I left it in the bathroom when I took my shower this morning."

Nate rolled his eyes. "I'll go get it."

"So, where's Ember?" I asked, looking around.

Jason laughed. "At our house. She's with Aiden."

I made a face. "Oh. She got bored?"

"Nah," Shane said. "We lost two rats last week from the lab downstairs in the basement and they're somewhere in the fire house. They're trying to look for them."

I laughed. "Wow, looking for mice. Is that our big mission?"

We was interupted from Nate's scream in the bathroom. He ran out, looking like a wreck and catching his breath.

"What happened to you?" Jason blinked.

Nate starred at me. "Now I remember why I never use your room's bathroom."

I blushed and grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah, my hamper broke so I sorta left my clothes there."

Jason and Shane starred at me weird while Nate stayed the same. "Yes, including her bra."

I threw a pillow at him. "And who's fault is that?"

"That's supposed to be your fault!" He shouted, removing the pillow from his face.

Shane laughed, crossing his arms and looking up. "I remember the first time little Ash and Ember had to go shopping for bras. Wow was that so weird."

I blushed again and glared at Shane. I remembered when Ember was 11 my mom took her to the mall since her dad couldn't take her. And of course, Mom had to bring me, Nate, Shane, and Jason, since we couldn't be left alone at the time. I remember Shane always being hit in the head though whenever he made a comment about Ember having to buy a bra. Of course, Nate and I being the little kids we were, had no clue as to what bras were for. And boy was I glad. But then Mom _had_ to insist on getting me a bra too, even though I was only 7. _So_ she had to explain to me what it was for, and that got Nate and me all awkward the entire trip.

"Good times, good times," Shane e nodded, only making me throw another pillow of mine at him.

"No it isn't," Nate said, looking at Shane.

Jason sighed. "Ok, you got the watch or don't you?"

"Yeah yeah, here," Nate said, throwing it towards me as I caught it.

"So, what's our mission today?" I asked, putting my watch on.

"Oh not us," Shane said. "Jason and I just came to see your reaction."

I made a confused face. "Reaction to what?"

Nate sat down in my bed beside me. "Well, my dad said that only the two of us are going on this mission, you and me."

"So?" I asked with a shurg.

"We're going as undercover students..."

I blinked. "And...."

"To an all boys school."

My head dropped forward a bit as all the boys starred at me. "We're going as undercover who to an all what now?"

"You know I expected that kind of reaction," Shane said, nodding.

"Just tell me what I'm doing again?" I said, not liking this one bit.

"Ok. You know Brington Heights in Florida? That's where you're going," Jason told me.

"But, but can't you two come?!" I shouted.

"Dad thought that if the school had four new studenst appear all of a sudden the enemy might be suspicous," Jason explained.

"Well why _me_?! I am a _girl_ if you haven't noticed!"

"That's just it, they _won't_ notice," Shane said. "You can pull off posing as a guy."

"Well," I said. It was true. I can. But, well, it was gonna be reeeeaaaal weird in my case. "..... Why me and not one of you two?!"

Nate made a comforting smile. "Because we need both a girl and a both on the mission. The mission takes place at that school for a reason you know."

I made a face. "What _is_ the mission anyway?"

"The students at Brington," Jason started out, looking at my bed. "The students have been..... different a bit."

"Oh boy, here comes the bad part," I said, leaning back.

"There had been recent reports from the school that the guys at the school are being more.... " Jason was looking for the right word. "Different."

I groaned. "Just tell me what different means already!"

"They're being seducive and pervish," Shane said bluntly, making Nick and Kevin hit him while I just blinked.

"..... Again why send me..." I said as my responce.

"Brington is one of the top all boys schools, accepting only the best in academics and personality. So it's really weird that the students there would start acting up, especially now since it has never happened before," Shane told.

"That's why dad's only sending the two of us," Nate continued, moving over closer to me.

"So why are you coming? If anything you should just send girls on the mission."

"We still don't know yet," Jason resumed. "Whether or not if whatever's going on affects both genders."

"What if it _does_ affect both genders?" I brought up.

"It won't" Shane said. "Dad ran a test one of the affected students. I say it only affects guys, but that's just me."

"So why send Nate if it puts him in danger?" I said.

"Because Dad knew he was going to send you," Nate said. "And he wanted one of us to go with you since he doesn't want you going to an all boys school alone."

I blinked. "How'd he come to the decision to pick you?"

"Actually Nate vollunteered," Shane spoke up, making Nate glare.

I smiled. "Well, at least you'll know I'm a girl."

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Nate said. "We better get ready for the mission."

Jason smiled. "Come on, I'll help transfrom Ash into a guy."

"And I'm gonna go to the store, get some cheese," Shane said, walking to my door.

I made a face. "Ok why?"

"Those mouses aren't gonna catch themselves."

"It's mice," Nat corrected.

Shane was about to talk back but then turned around and left, leaving me, Jason, and Nate laughing.

--

Nate and I arrived outside the gates of the campus of Brington Heights.

"I can not believe, that my brothers actually persuaded you to come," Nate, said, still smiling.

I laughed. "Only because I don't want to stay at your house when you're not there and catch a bunch of rodents."

"That's true," Nate shrugged, making me laugh and punch his arm. We walked forward and onto campus. It looked right, for an all boys school I suppose. We arrived in the administrations office, or whatever it's called.

"Ah, Nathaniel, Ashton, welcome to Brington Heights," Dean Worths greeted from his desk, shaking our hands.

"Hi," I said back with a nod.

"Thanks for coming to our school. Where are you from again?"

"New Jersey," Nate answered.

"Right, right," he said, looking through some papers. He handed us some keys. "I hope you two don't mind if you share a dorm room together.

I mentally thanked the heavens. Thank you thank you thank you. After getting our school stuff, we walked around campus and to the dorms. I stayed close to Nate though, making sure I didn't wander off. I was still in disguise if you haven't noticed.

"Ash are you allright? You're kinda.... tense," Nate whispered.

"You try dressing as a girl to an all girls school then we'll talk about tense," I whispered back with a slight glare.

He nodded slowly and we walked in silence, getting stares from other students walking around, some in uniform, some not. Finally we got to our door and Nate used his key to unlock it. There inside it was fairly big enough for three people, considering there was somebody already in there.

The guy sat up from his bed. "Oh, so you're the new transfer students."

Nate nodded. "That's us."

"I'm Ash, this is Nate," I introduced.

"Tristan," he said, getting off his bed. I proposed that the other two beds were ours. "Need any help unpacking?"

"Sure-"

"No!" I shouted back.

The two boys starred at me strangely.

I sweated at the side of my head. "I mean, no thanks. Uh, I, um, hehe."

"Um, you'll have to excuse Ash here. He's sorta..... still getting used to being in a boarding school," Nate covered for me, giving me an odd side glace. I still wore my same sheepish grin.

I went to the door and dragged my other bag to my bed as Tristan helped Nate unpack his stuff. As I dragged my bag, I felt my foot trip over something and I fell backwards with a thud. The two boys looked over at me again.

"He must do that a lot," Tristian said.

"Well, not only him," Nate said, remembering Joe back home.

I sat up and held my head. "Ow... eh?" I looked at what I tripped over, a microscope. I picked it up, starring at it. "A microscope."

Tristian came over and helped me up, taking the microscope. "Sorry, that's mine. Since I lived alone most of the year I didn't really have a reason to keep everything organized."

I laughed. "I know the feeling. You must be researching something with that." I looked around the room and saw the desk, seeing it with a bunch of other scientific equipment.

Tristan nodded, placing the microscope onto the table. "Yeah. Lately there's been rumors going around campus that a strange hormonal chemical was let out. Now it's affecting the students one by one."

"You don't say," Nate said, taking notes inside his head.

Tristan nodded. "And since the principal won't do anything about it, since he doesn't believe us, I've taken things into my own hands."

I walked over to him. "Did you get any leads?"

Tristan picked up a paper. "My room mate in June was one of the first victims. I managed to take a test on him before he was expelled."

I looked at the paper, my eyes scrolling left and right. "Wow. I can barely understand all this scientific stuff."

He chuckled. "Of course, you're only freshman. I just started junior year. They wanted to promote me as a senior but I declined."

I smiled. "Wow, you must be really smart."

Tristan made a sheepish grin and held the back of his neck. "Nah, not really."

"Yeah you are. This stuff is amazing," I said, looking at all of the test tubes and other weird things.

Nate glared as Tristan and I had our talk. We seemed to be getting along fairly well.

--

"Guys, you sure this is gonna work?" Ember asked with an embarrassed look on her face with crossed arms.

"Of course," Aiden said, kneeling down while Shane layed out tiny cubes of cheese on the floor. "Mice like cheese don't they?"

"Well," Jason said. "I guess."

"Then we'll catch these guys in no time by the time Dad gets back home from his trip!" Shane said with that grin, standing up and dusting himself off. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get some more cheese from the kitchen."

Ember sighed. "I bet the mice are laughing at us right now. I'd rather be at that all boys school."

"Why? So you can meet boys?" Aiden asked with a laugh.

Ember's eyes twitched as she glared down at Aiden. "Quiet you."

Frankie smiled and shrugged.

"Whoa!" Shane shouted form the kitchen, along with a crash.

"This doesn't sound good," Jason said, turning his head around, only to see Shane running.

"Hurry! Up the stairs! Go go go go!" Shane shouted, making a quick turn and heading up.

They all blinked in confusement until they heard a strange sound. The three of them looked over the couch and saw a large stampede of mice running out from the kitchen. Ember screamed at the top of her lungs as Jason and Aiden dragged her up the stairs, running behind Shane.

"Hurry! Into the bathroom!" Shane shouted, opening the door as Jason, Aiden, and Ember ran in. But then Ember shut the door and Joe hit the door with a thud. Ember groaned and opened the door, pulling him in by his leg.

"What on earth did you do in the kitchen Shane?" Jason asked in the small space of the hallway bathroom.

"I was getting cheese from the fridge, but then I heard this weird sound from the vent. So I got a broom, poked it. Then all of a sudden it's raining rats."

"Mice," Aiden corrected.

"That's not the point!"

Ember sighed, sitting at the edge of the sink with her legs crossed. "Well there happens to be a bunch of them now, instead of just two. Just call an exterminator or something."

"No way," Shane said. "I _will not_ let mice get the best of me."

Jason rolled his eyes. "I'm not letting our house become rodents R us. I'm calling an exterminator," he said, taking out his phone.

"No!" Shane shouted, fighting with Jason for the phone, until they threw it up and it landed in the toilet, Aiden and Ember watching.

Ember blinked, looking over it. "I'm not getting that."

--

It was after class now, and I was being dragged to my bedroom by Nate and Tristan. "Ugh, now I know why this school is for the elite. I felt like I was taking college classes."

"Is he always like this?" Tristian asked.

"Yup," Nate said, helping me to my bed.

"Thank you," I said as I fell onto my pillow.

"You alright?" Nate asked, poking my arm.

"Just a headache," I muffled into my pillow. "Who knew thinking so much could hurt so much."

He laughed. "You remind me of Joe on his first day as a Junior. I'll head out and get you some medicine."

"Thank you," I said, still in the same position.

--

After a good sleep, I finally felt myself wake up. I sat up and yawned. "What time is it?" I asked no one.

"8:00PM."

"EH?!" I shouted, falling off my bed with a crash.

Tristan turned around his his chair and watched my claw my arm onto the bed. "You sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine. Just surprised that I slept this long."

Tristan laughed. "Well you were out like a light for a while."

"Haha," I said sarcastically. Then I realised I was still in uniform. "Where's Nate?"

"He never came back," Tristan said, closing his textbook.

I made a face, starring at our door. "Isn't he just getting medicine for me?"

"Yeah. The campus store isn't even five minutes away from our dorm."

"Maybe he got lost," I said with a face. "He tends to panic sometimes then loses his way," I said, remembering a lot of times that's happened. "Maybe I should change and go look for him."

"You want me to help you look?" Tristian asked as I got some clothes out of my drawers.

I figured it because of the bad guys that Nate wasn't here at the moment. Couldn't risk having Tristan finding out about G.R.A.Y. "No thanks. I'll be fine."

"It's only your second day here. You sure _you_ won't get lost?"

I laughed from inside the bathroom. "Don't worry. I have a good sense of direction..... I think."

After coming out, I went out of the dorm and noticed it was dark out already. Some students were out, walking around. The lamp posts were on to give some light.

"Nate!" I shouted, but not too loud. "Nate come on! Ugh he just loves to torture me doesn't he."

I ran around campus, getting strange looks by some people. Got used to that a long time ago. Finally I made it to a clear spot, free of any other people around me. I tried to catch my breath by a tree. "Geez where is that boy?"

"Looking for me?" I heard someone say.

My eyes shot open and I looked up, seeing Nate walking towards me with his hands in his pockets. "Nate. Man I was looking for you everywhere."

He made a strange smiled as he stoped in fornt of me, making me lean back.

"Um, Nate, a little too close for comfort there," I said, poking him in the chest and pushing him a little bit back.

"Maybe I _wanna_ be closer," he said, placing his hands on the wall, cornering me in front of him.

I blinked obliviously. "Ok you're freaking me out here. Let's just head back to the dorm before someone catches on that I'm a girl."

He chuckled. "Like I'd let anyone know you're a girl, Ash. Besides, if I did, each one of thm would be lining up to do this."

The next thing I knew he pushed his lips against mine, making my eyes widen. By instinct I slapped him. Well slapping him didn't phase me, seeing as I hurt him a lot on a daily basis. "What the- Nate what are you doing?!" I half whispered. You know, somehow I was expecting this. This is why I didn't want to go on a mission with just Nate without Jason and Shane to back me up.

He looked back at me, not moving his arms. "Hm, no wonder we made you part of G.R.A.Y. You know how to fight back."

I narrowed my eyes at Nate. "Maybe we should have gotten that medicine for you. Come on, Tristan's gonna get worried." I said, going under his arm and star, walking, until he pushed me against the wall forcefully, quickly getting my attention.

"Why go there?" Nate asked, leaning against me.

I tried to squirm out, but it only made Nate lean more against me, making me blush since he was _really_ against me. "Nate, get off."

His forehead touched mine. "Make me."

The next thing I knew he was making out with me again. I tried to move my arms, but he held them against the wall. I tried to move my legs, but Nate was already over me. What was going on with him?

"Ash!" I heard Tristan yell. Before I knew it, Nate was tackled off me by Tristan. He grabbed my wrist and we started running. I didn't care at the moment, I just wanted to get away from Nate right now. This is _exactly_ why I didn't want Nate on the misson. That chemical thing probably got to him like it did those other students.


	26. All Boys Pt2

Ash and Nate go on a mission together without Shane and Jason. Except, it's as undercover students to all all boys school in Florida! Can Ash pull off her mission without the crazy interfearance of a strange happening going around the all boys school? In a side story, Shane, Jason, Ember, and Aiden try to catch mice in the fire house.

* * *

**Chapter 25: All Boys Pt.2**

We made it to our dorm and ran in, locking the door.

"What the heck was that?" Tristan asked me.

"I... I... " I didn't know what to say without spilling any secrets. That I was a spy, that I was a girl, that- oh my gosh. Tristan caught me kissing Nate, still thinking I'm a dude..... So hating this mission. "Ok, would you like to know the truth? The _real_ truth."

"Um, yeah?" Tristan said, probably still freaked out as much as I was.

I breathed in and out. "I'm a girl."

He starred at me, turn opened his mouth to say some, but nothing came out. "Y-You're..."

I nodded. "I'm...."

"All this time..."

I nodded. "Yes, yes I'm a girl! Not a boy! A girl! My name is Ashley! Not Ashton! A girl!"

"Ok, ok, I get it. It's just, kinda hard to believe," he said, rubbing his forehead. "What are you doing here?"

"Believe it or not, Nick and I came here together to investigate that chemical thing. We work for G.R.A.Y, a teen organization for undercover spies."

".... And you're not joking."

"How do you think I actually got here without getting caught?" I said simply. "You won't tell anyone until we catch our bad guy right?"

"Um, don't worry. You can trust me," he said, still a little weirded out.

I sighed from relief. "Good. Now, the only thing left to worry about is Nate. What the heck happened with him?"

"My guess is that the hormone chemical got to him while he was out there," Tristan said, trying to figure this out.

"Thought so," I muttered. "I guess I'm alone in this." I looked up at Tristian. "Then again maybe not." I said, a smirk forming.

He blinked at me. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Tristan, you're good with this stuff. You can help me!"

"What? Ash I'm no spy."

"Yeah but you have a lot more information than I do with this thing going on. You have to help me make an antidote for Nate! Pease?"

Tristian sighed. "It's a long shot, but I guess it's possible."

I smiled and punched the air. "Good! Let's start now!"

--

"Ok how exactly can you make a secret passage in a bathroom?" Aiden asked Shane.

Shane was standing in the bathtub, feeling the walls with his hands. "I remember Nate and Ash always came in here when playing hide and seek. Some time around Ash's 13th birthday Nate made a secret door here so they can get to his room faster."

Ember blinked. "..... Ok why would they do that.?"

Nate shrugged. "Beats me. They were crazy kids."

"Wait, quiet," Jason said, making everyone go silent. They heard the same sound outside the bathroom door. "Oh boy."

"AHHH! It's the mice!" Ember squealed, clinging to Shane.

Frankie hopped into he bathtub. "Shane find that door already!"

"I'm trying!" Shane shouted, hitting the wall repetitively as the mice clawed at the bathroom door. Suddenly their heard a wiring as the wall in front of the bathtub opened, making a slide as Shane, Jason, Ember, and Aiden slid down it, screaming.

"Where are we going?!" Aiden shouted.

"Yours and Nate's room! Whooo!" Shane shouted, his arms up in the air.

"Shane you idiot! Warn us next time we go on a bathroom made roller coaster!" Ember shouted with a glare, until they fell through and fell onto Nate's bed.

Jason groaned. "Ugh, remind me next time to never take a shower in that bathroom."

"Right," Shane said, standing up.

"Door's open," Aiden said, making Ember, Shane, and Jason scream and stumble off the bed to shut the door before the rats could come in, in which they almost did.

"Ok, this is getting crazy," Ember said, leaning against the door.

"Yeah, Shane and his cheese had to draw them _all_ out," Jason said, looking at Shane.

He rolled his eyes. "Like I said, I will not let mice get the best of me. Come on, we're gonna take care of them, G.R.A.Y style."

Aiden made a worried face from the bed. "I have a weird feeling about _this _plan."

--

"Is it done yet?" I moaned, sleeping on the table from my chair.

Tristan yawned. "I think so."

I shot up and starred at him seeing a bunch of weird liquid in a couple test tubes. "It is?!"

"Took all night, but yes," Tristan said.

I looked at my watch. "6:00. Everyone's still asleep."

"Except Nate," Tristan reminded. "He never found us."

"Well then, he'll find us now. We'll need to test the antidote on him if we ever want to finish this stupid mission." I hung my head. "But how are we gonna lure him in here?"

Tristian smirked. "I wasn't dreaming, you're a girl."

I nodded. "Yeah?.... Why?"

He laughed. "Well then, we'll just lure him out using _you_ as bait."

I blinked. "Lure what using how as who now?"

--

"Do I have to?" I whined.

Tristan laughed. "Nate's right, you do whine like a guy. Over and over."

"Well maybe because I don't want to stand out in the cold in a dress?" I said back at Tristan as he hid in a bush. And gosh it was FREEZING out here. I mean, it's December for pete's sake! "The things I do for the sake of a mission."

"Hey."

My head jumped at the unfamiliar voice. Definitely not Nate. I nervously turned my head around and saw a bunch of guys, like a mob. And by what I could tell, they've all been affected by that chemical. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh's right," Tristian muttered from the bush. "Ash you might wanna run."

"Waaay ahead of you on that," I said, suddenly right next to him in the bush.

"Ah!" Tristian jumped, looking at me, then at the other me standing out in the open. "H-How are you..."

"Hologram," I answered simply. "A special one time G.R.A.Y gadget. That girl will take care of those guys so we can focus on finding Nate."

Tristian blinked. "Geez, you really are a spy if you can get from there to here without me noticing."

"He got that right," Nate said from a distance. Tristan and I turned our heads, seeing Nate there leaning by a tree, arms crossed. "I'm a spy too remember? I'm just as smart as you are in this."

"Wanna bet?" I said, running at him. He blocked my attack as we ccontinued having our fight. Finally he had me cornered at a tree and came close to me again and his hand landed on my hips near by butt. I grew a vein on my forehead and whacked him upside the head, making him fall. "Idiot."

"Ash you alright?!" Tristian shouted, running through the bushes and trees.

"Yup," I said, kneeling down and tieing Nate's hands behind his back, along with his mouth and ankles. "Let's get him back to the dorm, now."

"Right," Tristian said as I dragged Nick through the green. "I had no idea that girl an fight like that."

--

Once we made it to our dorm room, and lucky without me getting noticed, we threw Nate into a chair and tied him down to it. The entire time we heard his muffled screaming.

"Ok, so you have the antidote ready?" I asked him, changing back into my short and jeans and cat ear hat.

"Yup," he said, taking out a needle, making me freeze. "What?"

"Just keep me away from needles. I have a very unlikely past with them," I said, backing up a bit.

Tristan laughed. "And you call yourself a spy."

"Everyone here has their fears," I said back with my arms crossed. "One being needles. Two being my best friend having over raging hormones from some gas he breathed in," I said, looking at the still struggling Nick.

Tristan sighed, holding the needle in his hand which was being covered with plastic gloves. Alright, you hold him down by the shoulders. We have to be precise.

"Yeah yeah," I said walking, making Tristan glare. I went behind Nate and held onto his shoulders, trying to keep him still. Eventually Tristan was able to inject the antidote into him. But, then Nate's head went limp and his eyes closed. "What happened to him?"

"He's asleep," Tristian said, throwing the needle away and taking off his plastic gloves. "By the time he wakes up he should be back to the normal Nate Gray."

"Oh thank heavens," I said, taking a huge breath.

"But we better get you guys out of here soon. If someone finds out you've been a girl all this time, you're gonna be more than expelled."

"Oh please, like I haven't been through more stupider ideas," I scoffed. "And besides, my mission isn't over yet. Still gotta find out where the hormone chemicals are coming from and why."

"Ugh, why can't you just give up and leave it to proffesionals?" Tristian groaned.

"Because we _are _the professionals," I said, referring to Nate and me. "And he's out like a light so I'm the school's last chance. Now are you gonna help me or aren't you?"

Tristina thought and then sighed. "I'm gonna regret this, but ok."

I smiled. "Good. Now, accoridng to your research, the stuff is artificial, which means it's had to have been created somewhere on campus. Question is... where?"

"There's always the mines out in the woods," Tristan thought up. "That sounds like a good hiding spot for an evil villain."

I smriked. "Alright then. To the mines it is!"

"I was afraid you'd say that."

I rolled my eyes. "Makes me wonder how Jason and Shane are doing."

--

"You sure that it's ok to use these things?" Ember asked from the control room.

"Of course! Why do you think we have them in here anyway?" Gray said, looking at the G.R.A.Y weapon. "And not like it shoots anything. It'll just shoot powerful wind currents."

"Yeah, enough to blow over a fridge. Don't you rememeber what happened in your 13th birthday?" Jason reminded.

"So? We were able to put all the food back didn't we?" Shane laughed.

Aiden grinned, looking at his wind gun. "If we get to use these, we should loose mice more often."

Ember rolled her eyes. "See what you teach him?"

Shane shook his head. "Whatever. You guys ready?"

"Yes," Jason an Ember replied unenthusiastically, Frankie being the excited one.

"One, two, three, CHARGE!" Shane shouted as they all ran out of the control room, charging at all the mice everywhere, which seemed to have multiplied in number.

--

I looked around, nothing. "Well, the mines are empty. Nothing but rocks, rocks, and trees."

Tristan sat down, taking a break. "Maybe it's not here after all."

I still stood. "But there's gotta be one person behind it all." I thought for a moment. I remembered I used my glasses to see the color of the weird chemicals in the air. It was red. I took out my G.R.A.Y glasses again and looked around. And surely I found a trail there. "Hey Tristan, look here."

He got up and I gave him my glasses. "What's the red stuff?"

"The hormone chemicals," I said. "Keep the glasses on, make sure you don't breath it in. We'll follow the trail and hopefully iit'll lead to the bad guy we're looking for."

"You really know what you're doing don't you."

"Like I said, professional," I said, running. Following the trail, it led back to campus. Tristan and I were careful to stay hidden. It was almost 6:30 in my watch. Finally, the red trail led to a building.

"Dean Worths?" Tristian questioned.

I narrowed my eyes. "Come on."

"Oh no, we're not sneaking in there."

"Oh yes we are now come on!" I shouted, grabbing his sleeves and dragging him. We walked into the building, and it was empty of secretaries or students, for now.

"Ah, Mr. Drame. Or should I say _Ms. _Drame," Dean Worths said, stepping out of his office.

I glared and held up watch watch at him. "Put your hands up. You have the right to remain silent."

He chuckled. "Oh, a G.R.A.Y spy. Typical you'd try and sneak in this way. And Tristian, one of my favorite students."

"Why?" Tristian asked, shaking his head in shame that it was the school's dean behind all this.

"For the mines of course," he said. "Once I have every single student here expelled, I'll be able to tear down the school and continue searching the mines."

"So they still have diamonds?" Tristan asked.

I starred at him. "So who still got what now?"

Dean Worths laughed. "Well duh, little missy. The Brington Mines were famous for harboring hidden diamonds. But ever since this cursed school was built, I was never allowed to continue my excavation."

"So you tried to make an excuse to expell all the boys, using that hormone chemical."

"We have a winner," he said with tht smirk. "But, unfortunately, I'll have to get rid of you, both of you."

Tristan groaned. "See this is why I wanted to stay out of this."

I rolled my eyes. "I've heard more threatening threats than that, Tristan. Try being strapped down to a table about to have your brain switched with a doll."

Tristian looked at me. "What exactly do you do as a spy?"

Dean Worths lunged at me while I jumped in the air, dodging. "Tristian get to the top floor! Make your antidote into a gas to replace Worth's chemical gas! It'll cure all the affected students!"

"Right!" he said, running to the stairs. Worths was about to go after him until I tackled his back. We continued out fight until he had me cornered.

"Not so high and mighty now, eh spy?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Ever heard of a breath mint? Villains have their downs but yuck this is one of them."

He was about to slug me until he froze. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell down unconscious. And there behind him was Nate. "Right on cue I'd say."

I smiled. "Got that right. Good to have you back Niate."

"Well I wasn't gonna let you have all the fun," he said. "And I've called G.R.A.Y. They're sending back up here to arrest Dean Worths."

I high fived him. "Mission complete."

--

"Please please pleas please please?" I begged Mr. Gray from our helicopter.

Nate laughed. "She won't give up you know."

"I know," Mr. Gray laughed. "Well if he was able to make an antidote for cure and entire campus, I guess this Tristan is worth becoming a G.R.A.Y spy for Florida."

I smirked and punched the air. "Yes!"

Nate rolled his eyes. "You and your drama."

"Me and my drama? You were the one going all kissy kissy with-"

Nate covered my mouth while Mr. Gray looked at us. "Don't ask."

I rolled my eyes. Figures he'd want to keep that part a secret. Finally the helicopter dropped us off in front of the fire house and flew back to the top of the roof. Nate went to the front door and opened it. But then a bunch of mice ran out the door like a parade, and it was a lot. I screamed and jumped into Nate's arms, making him scream too as we fell into a bush. There were like a hundred or something.

"What the," Mr. Gray poked his head into the house, seeing everything upside down. Nate and I peeked in too. The couches were knocked over, the plants spilled and everything, all the pillows everywhere.

"Wow," I said. "What kinda mice does the world breed these days?" Nate looked at me while I made my sheepsih grin.

"Yes we got rid of them!" I heard Shane cheer as he, Aiden, Ember, and Jason walked into the living om all happy and with... guns? Then they saw us and froze up, their celebrating instantly over.

"Care to explain?" Mr. Gray asked, looking at the four of them.

"Um..... We took care of the mice problem," Shane said.

**--NATE's'S POV--**

"I can't believe you got us grounded," Jason said, mopping the floor.

"I get it, I get it," Shane mumbled, mopping too.

"Makes me glad I was out on that mission," I said, putting the pillows back onto the couches.

"So, did anything happen at that all boys school mission?" Jason asked.

I stayed quiet for a minute. "Nothing."

"Meaning something," Shane coughed, making the me glare at him.

"Alright. I got affected by that chemical thing and...."

"And...?" Jason ccontinued.

Shane's eyes widened. "You and Ash did-"

I threw my wash cloth at him before he could complete his sentence. "Shut it. We didn't _do _anything. I just.... forcibly kissed her and.... other uncomfortable things I don't feel like talking about."

Jason laughed. "I'm surprised Ash is still acting normal around you."

"Why wouldn't she?" I asked, wipping the tables.

"AHHHH!" we heard Ember and Ash yell from upstairs. Then we saw a rat run down the stairs and out the window.

"...I think I can count that as normal," Shane said, making Jason and I nod slowly and get back to work. We'll just pretend _nothing_ ever happened.... right?

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

__

"Hey, aren't we going on a field trip there tomorrow?" Shane asked us.

I nodded. "Don't tell me we have a mission there."

--

"This is the DNA testing room," our guide said in her kind voice. "Here we take the DNA of certain fish and try to create new breeds. Of course we have our precautions so be careful not to touch anything."

"Hmph, little miss goodie goodie eh?" Shamrne said to herself, watching me from a distance. She smirked and picked up something from a lab table.

--

"Ash!" I heard Nate call from outside the bathroom door. "Ash you're in there!"

"Nate," I said in a worried whisper.

I felt a hand grab my wrist. "Come on. I know how you can get away."


	27. Fishy Fieldtrip Pt1

_While on a fieldtrip, Nate, Ash, Shane, and Jason have to investigate as part of a mission, suspecting iellegal testing. But, Ash seems to become part of the testing too. In a side story, back at school, Sharmane and Ash are nominated for Winter Queen for the upcoming dance._

* * *

**Chapter 26: Fishy Fieldtrip Pt.1**

It was school now. Nate and I entered the school building like any normal morning. And yes, I still had my cat ear hat so that's as normal as it gets from here on end. But it's cold and snowing now. Winter already? Uh-huh. Nate and I wanted to homeroom early so we could have some time to ourselves.

"So, you think we'll have any missions today?" I asked as I shut my locker in the empty hallways.

Nate shrugged, already having all the books he needs for the first classes. "My dad told me we'll be having another mission today after school. He told me ahead of time so we know."

I looked at him. "So this isn't anything urgent that he has to pull us out of class as usual?"

"Don't look at me. I don't know the details. But he's my dad and he's the boss, so I'm sure he knows what he's doing," Nate said with a nod.

I smiled and shut my locker, the hallways already somewhat filled with more students. Time sure flies by when you don't want it to. Once we got into our homeroom, I saw Sharmane already there with her cheerleader friends.

I sighed. "I feel so bad for those girls. They're really nice but then they have to look up to Sharmane."

I took my seat next to Nate and we talked for the next few minutes, until we heard an announcement come on.

"Hello students," Principal Koel greeted. "As you all know, the Winter Ball is coming up at the end of the week."

A bunch of students cheered, having looked forward to this for a long time now. It was on Friday. It was Wednesday now. But I, was utterly bored. Here we go again with dances.

"If anyone would like to help decorate, feel free to stop by my office. Now, as you all know, it's time for the nominations for the queen of the Winter Ball."

I blinked then turned my head towards Nat. "Don't they usually do that for Prom?"

He shrugged, just as clueless as I was. But knowing him, he probably already knew from his brothers and was waiting for the moment for Sharmane's name to be called as one of the nominations.

"Ok, in no specific order, we have... Sharmane Prally!"

All the class except me cheered, while Sharmane just smiled and waved like the barbie doll she was. I kept my head rested on my hand and rolled my eyes. "Get over with this announcement so we can move on."

Nate laughed. "Why must you hate the girl that my brothers and I like?"

"It's the cycle of life, Nate. It's always supposed to be that the popular girl gets every boy and then rivals with the school's girl loser. It's like the rivalry between the cat and dog, always has been, always will be."

Nate made a small smile. "Ok now you're over exaggerating. And you're not the 'loser girl' you proclaim you are."

I gave him that look. "You're not a girl. How would you know?"

"I...... man you stumped me."

I laughed, looking back at Sharmane in her glory. "Believe me, Sharmane's gonna win. She's at the top with these kinda things."

"I guess you got a point," Nate said, dazing at her.

I gave him a bewildered look but decided that I should expect something like that. Poor poor Nate. "So, what are you gonna do once she becomes Winter Queen?"

Nate smiled. "I'm gonna have that special dance with her."

I chuckled. "Yeah, dance with the queen. Why doesn't that surprise me."

"Can't you at least try to get along?"

"Nate, the day Sharmane and I make friends is the day I get nominated for Queen. And everyone knows that's not gonna happen."

"And next, we have Ashely Drame!"

Everyone's eyes darted towards me as I froze in place. "He said who now?"

I could feel Nate's lips forming into a smirk behind me. "You were saying?"

I got a vein and kicked Nate's leg, making him wince. Though, my face still held that calm and cool look. "Shut up Nate."

"No way, _you're _my opponent?" Sharmane asked, looking at me in disbelief.

I kept my eyes closed. "Not like I care."

She glared. "Well we all know who's gonna win anyway, so why don't you just drop out and save yourself the embarrassment."

I shrugged, not caring the whole class was watching this pointless argument. The bell rung and everyone watched as I picked up my books. "Later, Sharmane."

She glared daggars my way. "This isn't over Ashley! I'm gonna win Winter Queen!"

I laughed as I made my way to the door. "You sure have the heart of an Ice Queen, that's for sure."

My ears heard some of the class laugh at my comment before they left too.

"Ash wait up!" I heard Nate call after me.

I stopped and turned around. "Hey."

He smiled. "So, aren't you happy you got nominated?"

I shrugged. "I guess, but Sharane's gonna win."

"Well I say you two have equal chance of winning."

"Thanks but it won't change anything," I said in the same tone, walking faster.

"A-Ash! Ash wait up!"

--

After school, the guys and I were walking home, well, their home. Remember Nate said we have that mission Mr. Gray needs to give us.

"We're home," Jason called into the house.

"Welcome back guys," Mr. Gray said from the couch.

We all walked in, knowing the process. "So what's today's mission, Mr. G?"

He pressed the button on the remote and the TV screen appeared. A huge building appeared, like some lab facility. "This is the Marine Biology Facility in Jersey City, New Jersey."

"Hey, aren't we going on a field trip there tomorrow?" Shane asked us.

I nodded. "Don't tell me we have a mission there."

He chuckled. "Afraid so. Security there's low at the moment and with a bunch of other schools coming to visit it, I need to have you guys keep an eye on eyerything."

"So basically it's just watching," Nate stated.

"There's also been suspicion of illegal human test subjects there. If you find anything, you know what to do."

I grinned. "Alright, this mission's gonna be a piece of cake."

--

The next morning we exited the school bus that took us to the lab. Luckily me, Nate, Shane, Jason, and Ember had the same class in this and we all got to go together. Unfortunately, Sharmane had to come. So much for a good mission.

One of the bioligists came and took our class to start the tour.

"Wow," I said, looking around. There was a bunch of things I'd never imagine to see here.

"What's this room?" one of the students asked as we entered a new room.

"This is the DNA testing room," our guide said in her kind voice. "Here we take the DNA of certain fish and try to create new breeds. Of course we have our precautions so be careful not to touch anything."

And with that we were free to roam this part of the lab. We looked at the different tanks and saw the new kinds of fish. At least here the animals aren't abused. And I had to say, all of the fish here seemed beautiful, well, except for this one tiny fish that Shane was starring at. It suddenly grew the jaws of life and practically barked at Shane and scared him, thus making him fall backwards. Haha, had to see it.

Me, Nate, and Jason laughed, helping Shane back up. The rest of the room was laughing too. Leave it to Shane to brighten up the room and bring laughter to everyone. Even he was laughing. And that tiny shark fish looked pretty satisfied with himself, if I do say so myself.

"Hmph, little miss goodie goodie eh?" Shamrne said to herself, watching me from a distance. She smirked and picked up something from a lab table.

"Alright everyone, come along," our guide said, gathering our attention.

As we all went back into this bug group, I felt a prick on my arm. "Ow!"

Nate immediately turned to me, seeing me grab my shoulder. I looked and saw Sharmane. "Hey! Don't touch me!" she whined as she walked ahead

I rolled my eyes, rubbing my arm. Felt like a needle hit me or something. "Stupid Sharmane. My arm probably got caught on one of her thorns."

Ember laughed. "You wish."

We smiled and continued walking. Nate looked away, meaning he knew I was ok. Too bad neither of us knew what Sharmane had done.

--

As we continued down the hallway, I kept having these weird feelings on my skin, but it was probably just the whether. I was wearing long sleeves and pants so I couldn't see. And I didn't bother to check. But, I did hold onto my arm where I had gotten hurt. The outside was fine. It was the inside that hurt.

"Ash are you alright?" Nate asked, slowing down so he could walk with me. "Does your arm still hurt?"

I gave him a comforting smile so he wouldn't worry. "I'm fine. It's just a little irritated." But I'd be lying. The more I let it slide, the more it continued to hurt. Stupid Sharmane.

Suddenly, I felt Nate's hand on my forehead. "You're sweating."

"I am?" I asked with a clueless look on my face.

Nate nodded. "Yeah. Are you feeling hot or something?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "But I guess I'm a little thirsty for water."

Nate checked his watch. "Well, we have lunch in a couple minutes. Will you be ok until then?"

I nodded, keeping my sight forward. I decided to roll up my sleeves since I was 'sweating', but when I did, I saw this weird green color on my skin. And if I didn't know any better, I'd saw I saw scales. My eyes widened and I slowly brought my sleeve down, hoping no one saw that.

__

'Oh man, I must be hallucinating. Yeah, I'm just hot. I DID NOT just see green skin on my arm.'

Sharmane, walking shortly behind, smirked, having seen it. Ember made a face, having seen it too. Though, Ember wasn't confused because of my arm. She was confused because of Sharmane's reaction. But, you know Ember. She's the common sense person next to Jason.

--

It was lunch, and the people at my table, them being Nate, Ember, Shane, and Jason, watched in awe as I drank down my second bottle of water, no breaks.

"You weren't kidding when you said your were thirsty," Nate said.

I put the empty bottle down on the table. "Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me today."

"You sure?" Jasonn asked worried.

I nodded. "I'm sure. Don't worry about me. Besides, we still have that missions Mr. G gave us."

"Oh yeah," Ember said. "What is the mission anyway?"

"We have to find proof of human testing somewhere in here," Shane explained to her.

"Eh?!" Ember said looking at Shane in disbelief. Oh boy, here we go again. "Shane if that was the case then why didn't you look around more thoroughly in the DNA room instead of looking at mutated piranas, you idiot!!" she shouted, whacking Shane behind the head.

"Ow! Like I was supposed to know!" Shane said back, holding his head, ready to snap just like Ember did. And here it begun.

Jason sighed, resting his arm on the table. "Those two."

Nate and I nodded agreeingly at the same time as Ember and Shane continued fighting. Gosh they seemed like an anime couple, the girl gets angry easily then whacks the poor guy constantly upside the head. Like I said before, there's a cycle for everything.

After when I thought it stopped, I felt that weird tingling feeling again, this time through all of me. I looked at my hand and saw it turning green and scaly as well. Oh no. "Um, I'll be right back. Uh, gotta go somewhere."

Jason and Nate watched me run off. But, Nate wore that usual worried expression. Ember and Shane were too busy having their daily fight at eachother's throats. But, exactingly, Shamrane saw this and followed me slowly.

"Bathroom, gotta find the bathroom," I whispered to myself as I ran. Luckily no one saw me. That irritating feeling kept going off on my arm. Gah, how could something happen like this? Thank heavens, I had finnally found the bathroom, and it was empty. I turned to look at the mirror and to my surprise, my face was green as well. It had some scales a bit, not as much as my hand.

"Ah!" I gasped, seeing my hand. It looked webbed, like some marine creature.

"Thought so," I heard someone say at the door.

I looked and saw Sharmane with her arms crossed, a satisfied look on her face.

"You," I growled.

She chuckled. "Hi Ashley. And my, the monster you've become."

"You, you did this to me," I glare at her, taking a step. "How'd you do this? Turn me back, now."

She rolled her eyes. "What do I looked like? A scientist? I just injected you with some weird DNA stuff from a needle. The results look a lot better than I thought."

I continued glaring. I ought to throw her in jail, but her big head probably wouldn't fit inside any cellar they had. "Just you wait, I'll get back at you."

"I don't think so Ashley. Seeing the way you look, you won't be communicating with anybody pretty soon, let alone _want_ to be communicated with. I mean, look at you."

I hated to admit it, but she was right. Who'd want to even be with me? I'm some freak fish girl now.

She smirked. "See? I guess even if you did come back to school, I'd win Winter Queen hands down. Not even Nate will like you anymore."

My eyes lowered. She was right, again. Nate wouldn't like me at all if he saw me. I doubt he'd even recognize me. And with that, Sharmane walked away, leaving me alone. I couldn't go to the others, not anymore.

****

--NATE'S POV--

The rest of us had to continue on with this tour. Jason was able to calm down Shane and Ember, but I was worried about Ash right now. I didn't see her at all.

"Hey Jason," I called. "Did you happen to see Ash anywhere? I can't seem to find her."

Jason shook his head. "I'm afraid I didn't see her either. Where'd she say she was going again?"

I tried to remember the last words she said before leaving. "Ash just said she had to go somewhere."

"I wouldn't worry about it to much. Maybe she got a lead on the mission and went off without us."

I starred back forward. Jason might be right, but Ash would have at least told me if she found a lead. And she looked pretty worried herself. Not to mention she keeps clutching onto her right arm. "You think she's in the bathroom or something?"

"Maybe."

I looked down the other empty hallways we passed by. "I'm gonna go look for her. Keep me covered."

Jason nodded and I made my way to the back of the group. Once I was sure I wasn't seen, I wandered off on my own, trying to find Ash.


	28. Fishy Fieldtrip Pt2

_While on a fieldtrip, Nate, Ash, Shane, and Jason have to investigate as part of a mission, suspecting iellegal testing. But, Ash seems to become part of the testing too. In a side story, back at school, Sharmane and Ash are nominated for Winter Queen for the upcoming dance._

* * *

**Chapter 27: Fishy Fieldtrip Pt.2**

--**ASH'S POV**--

I just kept starring at myself in the mirror. I sighed. There really was no turning back. I took off my red and orange cat ear hat and threw it onto the floor.

"Ash, Ash where are you?" I heard Nate call from my earring.

I ignored him and looked at my watch. Nate was using this to track me down. I took it off and thew it on the floor. It landed beside my hat and I watched it with an emotionless face.

"Hey," said a female voice from behind me.

I jumped and turned my head around, ready to fight. Until, I saw another girl. She was just like me, green scaly skin. Except, she wore a torn up simple blue dress and her hair was mid back and Blondie.

"W-Who are you?" I managed to speak out.

"Ash!" I heard Nate call from outside the bathroom door. "Ash you're in there!"

"Nate," I said in a worried whisper.

I felt a hand grab my wrist. "Come on. I know how you can get away."

I decided to trust her and we walked to the wall. She opened a door that seemed like a secret passage way, much to my surprise.

"And this field trip gets weirder and weirder," I said to myself as she pulled me along, the door closing behind me.

"Ash come on open up!" I shouted, banging on the door. I sighed heavily and pushed the door open. To my surprise the place was empty. "Hello?" I called into the small bathroom. "Anyway in here?"

I looked at the five stalls. Ash might have been hiding in one of then with her feet up. But then, I saw her hat, and her G.R.A.Y watch, resting on the floor right in front of me. "Ash." I ran to the two objects and knelt down, picking them both up. She'd never leave these behind. Just where the heck was she?

I arrived in this room, it looked like a pool room. "Where are we?" I asked curiously.

"My tank," the girl said as we finally arrived in some light.

I looked at the oversized swimming pool in front of me. "Your tank?"

She nodded. "I live here, unfortunately."

My head turned to her. I knew she wasn't a threat.

"You're confused, too," she said as if reading my mind. "My name's Madeline."

I smiled at her. "I'm Ash."

She nodded and let go of my hand, sitting at the edge of the water. Now that we were in the light, I could see her fully. Her entire body was green, and her toes and fingers were webbed, like mine. She had fins on her elbows too.

"Were you always like this?" I asked.

Madeline shook her head. "No. My dad's the head scientist here. He used me as a subject for one of his testing experiments."

My face saddened. Who'd do that to their own daughter?

"We weren't that close, so I don't blame him for not caring. Then again, I don't have a lot of friends, so I didn't loose anything really. But now I'm not allowed to roam the lab, or anywhere at that matter."

I looked at my hand. "What am I exactly?"

"I don't know," Madeline replied. "But you inherited certain traits. For one, you can breath and swim fast underwater."

My head jumped. "Wow."

"Yeah, seems amazing, but I'd do anything to be free."

"Ah, so you're the one we're looking for."

She starred at me with a confused face. "What are you talking about?"

I brought my worst up, but I remembered I threw away my watch. "Actually, three of my classmates and I are spies from an organization called G.R.A.Y. We were on a mission to find proof of an affected human test subject and save the person if we could. But, it seems I won't be any help anymore."

"So someone's really looking for me?" she asked with hope.

I nodded. "Yeah. My teammates are at least. I've found you, but I can't do anything in this state. I'm probably stuck this way forever."

"I'm sure if you let your teammates find you we'll be ok."

"It's not that simple, Madeline. My teammates and I are really close friends. They'd probably never look at me the same if they ever saw me."

"Well if they were real friends they wouldn't care if you grew a third head."

I sighed. "I wish."

"Well, who's your _best_ friend?"

A smile drew upon my face. "I'd have to say Nate."

Madeline's head jumped. "That boy at the door?"

I nodded. "That's him."

"He sounded very worried about you, Ash," Madeline said with a small smile. "He must really care about you."

"Just as much as I care about him," I said, still smiling. "Maybe even more."

She tilted her head. "You mean you like him?"

A blush went to my green face. "N-No, n-nothing like that!"

She giggled that innocent giggle. "I'd think otherwise."

I sighed in defeat. "Not you too."

"Ash!" Nate's voice called.

"She's somewhere in there!" I heard Jason yell too.

"Ugh, Jason must have found me from my earring," I said in a low whisper.

"Do you really not want to be seen by them?" Madeline asked.

I nodded. And before I knew it, Madeline dove into the water. She stuck her head back up. "Come on. We'll hide under the water."

I obeyed her and dove into the water as well. And to my surprise, my sight was better, I didn't have to move a muscle to swim, and I could breath. It was like flying in midair. I was about to just stare into space until I felt Madeline grab my arm and pull me deeper, since I could still be seem staying this close to the surface.

"That's weird, I thought I heard someone in here before," I heard Jason say above. Wow, my hearing _is_ good.

"Are you sure this is where you tracked her down, Jason?" Ember asked.

"Positive," he answered. "She's still in here somewhere."

"She's gotta be here," Nate said. His footsteps were heavy, we was running.

"Poor Nate," I heard Ember mumble. "He's so worried."

"When isn't he worried when it comes to Ash?" Shane laughed.

I made an annoyed face. "Shane you're dead for that comment-"

Madeline covered my mouth. "Quiet. Remember you can talk under here. They might hear you."

"You guys hear Ash?" Shane asked.

"Told you," Madeline said.

Nate was breathing hard and sat down on a chair. "Geez Ash where are you?"

I heard Jason sit down next to Nate. "I'm sure wherever she is she's alright."

"You don't know that," Nate said.

"Maybe she's hiding," Ember said, catching my attention.

"Why should she be hiding?" Nate asked.

"I saw her before with green skin. Ever since she's been acting real weird," Ember said.

"Great, perfect timing to go through puberty, Ash."

We heard Ember whack Shane upside the head. "You moron, it's not puberty."

"Then what is it?" Jason asked.

Ember sighed. "Ash will have to tell us that."

"Oh, Ash we have to tell them," Madeline begged.

I shook my head. "No. You go. you can get some help back at the G.R.A.Y labs. I'll stay here and take your place."

Madeline rolled her eyes. "Ash come on. Do you seriously not ever want to see your friends again? Do you not want to see Nate again?"

Even though we were in the water, I felt my eyes well up. I squinted them and shook my head. Madeline smiled and swam up, dragging me along with her.

"AHHH!" Shane shouted, jumping back and falling onto Ember. Jason and Nate just starred at us.

"Get off me. You're heavy," Ember groaned.

"Ash?" Nate asked, making eye contact with me.

I shyly hid behind Madeline. She just chuckled a bit. "Hehe, um, yeah, that's Ash."

"Ash what happened to you?" Jason asked, walking up to the pool.

I shrugged, still not making eye contact. Right now I didn't want to say it was Sharmane. "I don't know. I guess some time along the day I was injected with this animal DNA and I turned into this."

"And her?" Jason asked, meaning Madeline.

"Um, she's the one we're looking for," I said.

Nate sighed from relief. "At least we found you. Ash I was worried sick. "

Jason rolled his eyes. "That'd be an understatement."

I looked up. "You mean you don't think I'm some freak?"

Nate shook his head. "Ash, you're fine. And you're my best friend. So what if you're green and scaly?"

I pouted. "Ok who are you?"

Nate laughed. "Boy do I feel offended."

Jason smiled. "Let's get you two out of here."

--

I was at the school's gym, having the Winter Ball. I was wearing formal, a nice dress. I was with Ember at the food table talking, until the guys showed up.

"Told you I saw them here!" Shane said with that grin on his face.

Ember smiled. "Hi guys."

I looked at them, seeing them wearing black dress pants alone with button down shirts and ties. "Wow, you guys clean up good."

Nate smiled. "I could say the same for you guys."

"My mom made us wear these," I said, looking at myself. "Do we look weird?"

"Not at all," Nate said smiling.

Shane laughed. "Someones blushing."

Nate sent Shane a glare while I blinked. I didn't hear what Shane mumbled. "What are they talking about?"

Jason shook his head. "Don't worry about them."

"So," Shane said, looking at Ember. "Did you find a date?"

Ember kept her eyes closed. "You know I don't date, Gray. And what about you? I figured you'd have one out of pity by now."

Shane kept a still face, trying to think up a good comeback to that.

Jason looked between them and sighed, grabbin their backs and pushing them onto the dance floors. "Ah just forget it and dance already." In no time the three were lost in the huge crowd.

Nate looked at me. "Well, looks likes things are back to normal."

"For the mean time," I said, looking at my hand. "At least Madeline and I aren't all green and scaly anymore."

"But why'd you have to run away from me, though?" Nate asked. I avoided eye contact with him still by looking at the floor.

"I didn't want you to freak out when you saw me," I admitted. "I thought you'd think I was some sorta freak. Now a days, all guys care about in a girl are looks. That's pretty much how Sharmane's gonna win."

"Ash, I admitt there's some truth in that, that guys care about looks in a girl. But that's just because we're guys. I mean, don't you like guys who look good or something?"

I gave Nate a confused look. "I've never liked anyone so I wouldn't know. Unless you want me to try-"

"Keep it at that," Nate interupted, turning his head away with a blush. "What I'm saying is, that if you really had a good relationship with a guy, they wouldn't care. _I _don't care. Like this, if I turned green and scaly, would you still be friends with me?"

I sighed. "Why must you be right about this stuff?"

Nate smiled and hugged me. I loved it when we hugged. It made me feel safe.

"And now for the winner of Winter Queen!" Principal Koel said on stage.

All attention went to him whiled I drank my punch aagin. "Well Nate, ready for that dance with the Queen?"

Nick blushed. "Oh yeah."

I was about to go sit by the bleachers until I heard the unbelievable. "And the winner is Ashley Drame!" My eyes shot open as the entire gym erupted into applause. I couldn't even see Sharmane's expression, wondering why she didn't win.

"I-I..." I said, utterly shocked.

I felt Nate's hands push me behind me. "Go on, they're waiting for you on stage."

Eventually I was moved up to the front of the gym and onto stage. Principal Koel smiled and placed a small tiara on my head. Ha, good thing I wasn't wearing my cat ear hat at the time.

"Congratulations," Principal Koel said as the dance floor cleared. A slow song started and I nervously walked down the stage. People starred at me as I blushed, but the lights made them invisible. I guess it was time for the Winter Queen Dance, but, I had no one to dance with. I heard some people whispering. Apparently I was the first freshman to win Winter Queen. That made me feel good inside, but I was still dead nervous. That is, until I saw Nate turn me around from behind.

"Ah," I said as I was turned around. "N-Nate?"

He put his hand around my waist and the other in my hand. "What? I did say I wanted to dance."

I smiled as we started. Some of the other couples started dancing too. "I thought you wanted to dance with Sharmane."

"Yeah, but I said I wanted to dance with the queen. And look, and I'm dancing with her," Nate said.

I continued smiling and looked down. I brought my head back up. "You are too good a friend to me, Nate."

"Only the best for her majesty the queen," he said as he spun me. I laughed, definitely enjoying myself. I guess beauty really doesn't matter. Because believe me, Sharmane would win in that categorycatagory. I guess, I won because of my personality. And look what I got as my prize, a dance with my best friend... I do think of him as my best friend... don't I?

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_ "Timothy Pallet."_

_I arched my eyebrows. "Who's Timothy Pallet?"_

_"That'd be me," said a guy behind us. "Hey you're Ash right? The girl who got the part of Juliane?"_

_I blushed and nodded my head under my cat ear hat. "Y-Yeah. T-That'd be me."_

_"Sfter we get our scrip in homeroom, wanna go out somewhere, get something to eat while we go over our lines? Like a date?"_

_--_

_"Well, looks like Ash is finally becoming your normal teenage girl," Shane said._

_"A little to fast if you ak me," Nate mumbled._

_--_

_"Nate you've gotta follow her," Shane said right after I shut the door._

_Nate starred at him. "What why?"_

_"Well obviously we'll get caught if we all go. If it's only you it's better," Shane replied._

_"Wait. Are you saying you want me to spy on Ash and her date?" Nate clarified._

_"I wouldn't think of it as spying really," Jason said. "You can say it's like, looking around the night city for the mission."_

--ASH'S POV--

--NATE'S POV--


	29. Romeo Oh Romeo Pt1

_After school, Ash suddenly gets a boyfriend, Timothy Pallet. But when Timothy decides to interfere with Ash's and Nate's best-friend-relationship, will the two be torn apart? Meanwhile, Ash has to act in a play similar to Romeo and Juliet, with Timothy and Nate._

* * *

**Chapter 29: Romeo, Oh Romeo Pt1**

"And I am sure everyone is glad that we got a passing grade," Principal Koel said, making our whole homeroom cheer into a frenzy. And by passing grade, we meant for Shakespeare.

"Which I find as a miracle," Ms. Autumn mumbled, since _she_ was the teacher for this.

"And therefore," Principal Koel resumed, "you will be representing the drama section for our Annual Winter festival."

The class cheered again as I groaned, sinking onto my desk. "Nooo, whyy?" I groaned as if it were the end of the world.

"What's with you?" Nate asked, almost laughing beside me.

I looked at him. "You know as much as I do that I hate these kind of things."

"But you'd be a good actor. Actually you act every day we're on missions."

I laughed. "That's true. But you get what I'm saying."

"And we already have the positions posted up in the bulletin," Principal Koel announced.

My head shot up from my desk. "Already have what posted where now?"

Nate chuckled at my reaction as the bell rung, making the students scramble out of the classroom. Nate and I, being the somewhat normal teenagers we were, took our time and got our bags, peacefully walking out like civilized people. Unless you count Ms. Autumn's cross armed glare at the back of our heads. Let's face it, that teacher is destined to have it in for Nate, me, and his brothers. Forever.

As we walked down the hallway to our lockers, we found some students grouped up by the floor's bulletin. The two of us looked at each other and walked over. After they all left, we looked at it. It was a parody of Juliet and Romeo.

"Hey, I'm the best guy friend Justin," Nate said with that smile. "Figures with my good looks."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Sure. You just keep saying that."

"Out of the way, loser," Sharmane said, shoving me. I glared at her as she scrolled her eyes over the paper, seeing she was in our class too and was to be in the play with us. And as expected, Nate was starring at her in a daze, as usual. But then her face fell, one into shock and confusion. "What the- I'm not in the lead?! I'm... the evil Mom?!"

I laughed, leaning against the wall with my hands in my pockets. "I think it suits pretty well."

She glared at me then huffed off, walking out of the school.

I laughed, walking back to Nate as we starred in her direction. "She seems upset," he said flatly.

"Well duh. Who wants to be the villain? Let alone _be_ in the play?"

"Well I'm one of the main characters but I'm not complaining."

"Of course _you _wouldn't complain. You like these kinds of things. You know, I kinda feel sorry for whoever got the part of the girl lead, having to act all lovey dovey or whatever in that horrid script. Ugh it disgusts me."

Nate turned his head towards the paper. "That'd be you," he said, pointing at my name with his thumb.

I pushed Nate out of the way and onto the floor as I came eye to eye with the paper. "What?! I can't believe it! Why would I be cast as Juliet?!..... This disgusts me."

Nate stood back up, rubbing his head. "Technically _Juliane_, not Juliet. And I can think of a bunch of reasons."

I looked at him. "Then tell me, because I don't look like the 'proper princess' type."

"I think everyone knows you're not the proper princess type," Nate said. "Let me remind you it's a _parody _of Romeo and Juliet. It's gonna be in modern times, not like in the medieval ages or whenever it took place in the story."

I sighed. "I guess you're right. But I'm not gonna like it. And Romeo and Juliet's a romance."

"Your point?"

I blinked at him. How can Nate be so clueless? "As in since I have the lead role for the girl I'll have to kiss the lead guy."

Nate starred at me. He's never admit it, but he didn't like the sound of his best friend kissing someone. ".... Okay didn't see that coming." We looked at each other for a few more seconds before scrolling down the paper again, desperately trying to find who got the male lead, Rick. Then it landed on a familiar name. "Timothy Pallet," Nate read."

I arched my eyebrows. "Who's Timothy Pallet?"

"That'd be me," said a guy behind us. Nate and I turned around, seeing another student. I suddenly felt my knees go weak. I now remembered why the name sounded so familiar. He's a Hollywood Actor, a famous teen celebrity.... A student here. "Hey you're Ash right? The girl who got the part of Juliane?"

I blushed and nodded my head under my cat ear hat. "Y-Yeah. That'd be me."

Timothy smiled. "Well, I guess you know me. Nice to meet you."

I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too. This is Nate."

"Nice to meet you two," Timothy greeted. "Hey Ash, after we get our scrip in homeroom, wanna go out somewhere, get something to eat while we go over our lines? Like a date?"

I couldn't help but blush again. "S-Sure."

"Coo. I'll pick you up at 6:00." And with that he walked off, making me smile dazedly.

Nate starred at me. "Whatever happened to not getting into a relationship?"

"Well he asked me out," I said, trying to defend myself. "And let's admit it, I never get asked out, at all. For once one guy actually likes me, _me_. Why be an idiot and say no?"

Nate blinked from my straight forward answer. "Um, are you sure about this Ash?" he asked, obviously objecting this whole me going out thing in his head. "I mean, you just met him and-"

"Nate," I said sternly. "And besides, we're not even boyfriend girlfriend yet. Just one date."

"One date can turn into a lot of things," Nate pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "It's just a date."

--

"The date was amazing!" I nagged on to Nate and Ember in my bedroom, pacing left and right in happiness.

"Really?" Ember asked.

I nodded, still smiling. "Yeah. He took me to this fancy restaurant and even bought me a dress!"

"I thought you didn't like to wear dresses for small occasions," Nate said. "And I thought it was just studying lines."

"But he was so sweet and he insisted so I couldn't say no!" I said, falling into my bed with a sigh. "It was perfect."

"Yes, perfect, compared to the zero other dates you've had," Ember said plainly, making me glare.

"See this was my point. I don't get asked out at all. Maybe now I'm finally starting to get attention from guys."

"Since when did you care about getting guys' attention?" Nate asked.

"Since Timothy asked me out," I sighed dreamily.

"Hello? And what is Nate? A girl?" Ember asked, making him glance at her.

I laughed. "No. Nate's a different case. He's my best guy friend. Timothy is my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Ember and Nate asked at the same time surprised.

I sighed dreamily. "Yeah. He asked me to be his girlfriend last night. Isn't he sweet?"

"See this is how you act around Sharmane," Ember whispered to Nate, making him roll his eyes.

I head my cellphone ringing and picked it up. "Ah! It's Timothy! We're making plans for our next date! Get out get out get out!" I shouted, pushing Ember and Nate outside and locking the door.

Ember's mouth hung open. "My room too you know!"

"Trust me, that won't work. She locked me out of my own room once," Nate said, making Ember give him a strange look.

"Okay I won't even ask why," she said, shaking her head. "This is too weird though. It's like Ash was split into two halves. Her boyish self and her girlish self. And here we have, the girlish self."

Nate blinked. "You're saying we had the boyish Ash the entire time?"

"No. If we had the full boyish Ash, she wouldn't be just punching your arm. Actually, you'd have a metal replacement arm by now."

He made a face and rubbed his upper arm. "Remind me to thank Ash for her girly gentle side later."

"Yup," Ember said, patting Nate's shoulder as they walked away from the locked bedroom.

--

"So this date plan... what is it exactly?" Ember asked as we all got smoothies at the mall.

I smiled, playing with my drink with my straw. "He's gonna pick me up in his limo. We're going to this fancy restaurant for a dinner and some dancing."

"Oh, that is fancy," Jason said with a raise of his eyebrows. "What are you gonna wear?"

"That's why I got Ember for. I _need_ help," I told my friends.

Shane laughed. "Ember? Help you? With being fancy."

"Hey, with how my Dad works, I happen to know a thing or to about fancy," Ember defended. She stood up and got my arm. "Come on, we're giving you a make over."

I blinked. "We're giving me a what who now?"

"Well, looks like Ash is finally becoming your normal teenage girl," Shane said, watching Ember drag me off.

"A little to fast if you ask me," Nate mumbled once I was out of range.

"What?" Jason asked looking at his little brother.

"I don't know. I just never knew what it'd be like for Ash to have her first boyfriend. All she's doing is worrying about making sure he's satisfied with her, nothing less."

"Um Nate, that's kinda what the girls are supposed to do," Shane said. "They worry about keeping the relationship in tact by making sure they're the best of the best. While us guys, kick back, relax, and just enjoy the show."

Jason looked at Shane. "You make is sound like we're the bad guys."

"That's because most guys _are _bad guys," Shane pointed out. "The girls are just too wrapped up in the moment to notice any of those bad qualities. Take Nate for example, he can see Timothy's bad qualities."

"Um, actually I can't," Nate said confused by Shane's explanation.

He starred at Nate. "Who's side are you on little brother?"

Nate shook his head. "It's not Timothy I'm worried about. It's, it's Ash. W-What if she stays with him forever and she can never be or normal, crazy, self that used to be my best friend."

"So you're jealous," Jason and Shane said at the same time.

"Okay how is it that every time I worry about Ash you assume I'm jealous?!" Nate asked his brothers.

"Maybe because lately Ash's problems involve guys and since you always worry about her problems, which are the guys, it's only fair to assume that you hate the guy and are, thus, jealous," Jason explained like a professor.

"What he said!" Shane said with a nod.

Nate groaned and his his head onto the table.

--

"I'm here," I said, walking in through the door of the Grays. "We got a mission?"

"A small one," Mr. Gray said, Nate, Shane, and Jason already here. "There's a dangerous robber going around town, and he's crafty. I've sent other spies to cease him but he still isn't captured."

"So you're sending us?" Shane asked.

"No, but keep an eye out for anything suspicious is all I'm saying," Mr. Gray said. "Especially tonight."

I arched my eyebrows. "Why tonight?"

"Isn't tonight your big date with that Timothy the boys keep talking about?" Mr. Gray asked before walking out of the room.

I blinked and looked at the three boys on the couch who looked away as if doing something else. I could hear Shane whistling too. "You guys are talking about me and Timothy."

"Mostly Na-" Shane mumbled before Nate shoved a pillow in his face, only drawing me into more confusion.

"We're just worried about you, Ash," Jason answered. "It's not that we don't trust him, nothing personal. It's just we don't trust any guy you come into contact with that's not us."

"It's just the fact of you dating might... Point blank you might not be ready for a boyfriend," Nate said straight out.

I smiled. It was kind of sweet for the guys to worry about me like this. "Thanks guys, but I'm fine, really."

"But," Shane started before I could get off the couch. "Um, maybe one of us should go with you! A-As a double date! Bring Ember!"

"You just want to make sure Timothy and I won't do anything stupid?" I asked.

"Yes and because I volunteer Nate," Jason said after, making Shane and Nate look at him. Shane probably wanted an excuse to go on a date with Ember. Nate, I have no idea why he looks angry.

I laughed. "Thanks but no thanks guys. I'll be fine. Now if you don't mind, I've gotta get back home. Timothy's coming in two hours to pick me up for our date." I got off the couch as the guys watched me leave, no words said.

"Nate you've gotta follow her," Shane said right after I shut the door.

Nate starred at him. "What why?"

"Well obviously we'll get caught if we all go. If it's only you it's better," Shane replied. "And it's more romantic."

"Wait. Are you saying you want me to _spy_ on Ash and her date?" Nate clarified.

"I wouldn't think of it as spying really," Jason said. "You can say it's like, looking around the night city for the mission. Dad _did_ say we had to keep an eye out for the robber."

Nate starred for a minute then ran up the stairs, not bothering to use the elevator. Shane and Jason smirked at each other in victory and high fived.


	30. Romeo Oh Romeo Pt2

_After school, Ash suddenly gets a boyfriend, Timothy Pallet. But when Timothy decides to interfear with Ash's and Nate's best-friend-relationship, will the two be torn apart? Meanwhile, Ash has to act in a play similar to Romeo and Juliet, with Timothy and Nate._

* * *

**Chapter 30: Romeo, Oh Romeo Pt2**

After the limo ride with Timothy, and arriving at the restaurant, it pretty much went on from there.

"Um, Ash?"

I looked up. "Yeah?"

"About that Nate guy," he said slowly.

I arched my eyebrow. "What about Nate?"

"You like him don't you."

Wow how blunt. "What? Timothy that's crazy. Nate's my best friend only. It's like, mentally impossible for me to like him like him."

"Uh-huh," Timothy replied, not believing me. "Honestly?"

I thought for a second before sighing. "Honestly... I don't know."

Timothy nodded. "See? You're spending too much time with Nate. The more time you spend time with him, the more chance you'll have of developing feelings for him. You don't want that do you?"

"Is that necessarily a bad thing?" I asked.

"Well, think about it. If you do develop feelings for him, you'll only get your heart broken in the end. You say it's impossible for best friends to like eachother. Wouldn't that mean he doesn't like you back?"

"I-I guess.... But what if by some crazy miracle he does like me back?"

Timothy shrugged. "Well then, you loose me and get together with him. But every relationship has an end. Eventually you two will break it off and goodbye best friend."

I felt my heart drop in relization and looked down. "Then what do you want me to do?"

"Just avoid him," Timothy stated. "If you stay away from Nate, then you won't have anything to worry about. Your little crush will just fade away and we can continue our relationship without any problems."

"E-Excuse me. I'm gonna go out, get some air."

"Alright Ash," Timothy said. as I walked out of the restaurant in my dress. But once I was out of sight, he smirked, knowing his job was done.

I ran to the limo, carefull not to trip on my high heel shoes. It was cold too, and I was wearing a dress, having left my jacket inside at the table. I got inside the limo and slid into the seat. I placed my head in my hands and took a deep breath. I have to get rid of my feelings with Nate.

"Ash?" Nate's voice rang as I jumped in my seat, my head out of my hands. I looked and saw Nate at the open door of the limo.

"Nate? What are you doing here?" I asked, almost angry that he was even here.

"Um," Nate said. "T-The guys wanted me to, scope out the neighborhood and look for the robber."

I glared. "You were spying on me and Timothy."

"I-I wouldn't necessarily call it spying," Nate stuttered.

I groaned. "I can't believe you," Is said, crossing my arms and turning away. I had no idea why I was being so angry with him. Truthfully, I was kind of flattered that he would spy. It was, kinda sweet I suppose. Maybe I was taking Timothy's advice and trying to stay away from Nate.

Apparently Nate could see this too, my false anger. "Can I come in? It's, kinda cold out here."

"... I guess," I muttered.

Nate slid into the limo and shut the door, the both of us inside, alone. There was an awkward scilence too, all because of me.

"Ash, are you ok?" Nate asked, still being concerned even though I was acting like a jerk.

"I'm fine," I said sternly, looking out the window with my arms still crossed.

"Ash come on."

"No," I said again. But as he tried to get it out of me, little did we know the robber was just around the corner, having watched our every move. He was going to raid the restaurant, but had to get rid of us spies first.

"No!" I yelled back.

"Ash why are you acting so isolated? It's that Timothy guy I know it. He said something to you didn't he!"

"No he didn't Nate!" I lied through my teeth. But then we stopped talking, hearing the sound of creaking. We didn't move an inch, not knowing what was outside. Then the limo moved again, backwards. I turned my head and saw a guy with tools, smirking at us through the window. He mouthed and waved bye bye.

"The robber," Nate whispered until the limo moved again, not stopping. We were rolling backwards in a fast pace. Nate and I were screaming trying to stay calm. Gosh why'd we have to park on the steep side of the hill? As we rolled downwards, we came to a stop. It was then I realised I was holding onto Nate, my arms wrapped around him and my head on his chest. Nate's arms were protectively around me in protection.

"Did we stop?" I asked.

Nate slowly turned his head and looked out the window, his eyes widening. "Oh my god."

"W-What?" I asked nervously.

"Ash, don't freak," Nate said slowly. "But we're on the edge of a cliff."

"We're on the what of a who now?" I asked. The limo moved again, but differently. We clung to eachother tighter as it tilted back and forth. I guess we really were on the edge of a cliff. "How far are we from the ground exactly?"

Nate looked out the window and down, only seeing darkness. "Not sure, but it's not one of the most safest situations to be in."

We stayed there in scilence, not moving, not talking. "So..." I said, suddenly forgetting my intention of ignoring him.

"Wanna tell me what you were doing in the limo instead of inside the restaurant?" Nate asked gently.

I sighed. "Timothy and I were talking... And... he said he knows I like this other guy."

Nate made a face at the mention of me liking another guy, not knowing it was him. "Who?"

"Not the point here, Gray," I said sternly. "But he said that either way I would get my heart broken, because it's impossible for this guy to like me back. And even if he somehow did, we'd eventually break up and then I'd be left alone."

Nate looked down at me. "Ash, whatever Timothy is nonsense. ANd I'm sure the guy you like likes you back. You're an amazing girl."

"No he wouldn't" I mumbled, still holding onto him.

Nate made a comforting smile. "Well, how do you like this guy?"

"Well... he's already on good terms with me. And if we ever got into a relationship I think it'd be the start of the greatest moments of our lives... I guess we really care about eachother, and I like him."

Nate nodded, still smiling, even though he thought it wasn't himself. "Well, if you like this lucky guy that much, I don't think you'll ever break up. It's like you found true love or something."

My eyes looked up at him. "How do you know it's not just a crush, that it's true love?"

"Because," he said, "you're different. If this guy cares about you as much as you care about him, it's definitely a lot more than some simple crush."

I made a hopefully look on my face. "And you actually approve of me '_loving_' someone?"

He laughed. "As long as you're happy. I'm happy."

"Then how come you weren't happy when I was happy dating Timothy?"

"Are you trying to confuse me with the word happy?" he asked, making the both of us laugh. But then we stopped when the limo started tilting again. "Let's just say I knew Timothy isn't the guy you love."

I nodded. "Ok."

"Did he say anything else that got you so upset back there?"

I tried to think. "He.... said I should stay away from you."

Nate made a face. "What? Is that why you were acting like that before?"

I made a nod. "Yeah. He says that my being best friends with you '_gets in the way our our relationship_' or whatever else Timothy pursuaed me to believe."

"You aren't gonna really ignore me are you?" Nate laughed.

I smiled and shook my head. "No. Best friends first, boyfriends second."

"Wow, I'm more important than the boyfriend," Nate said smiling.

I laughed. "Deja vu much? I said the same thing about missions when I hurt my ankle."

"Well it's true."

I smiled and sat up hugging Nate. But then the limo started tilting more again, making me let go and try to keep steady. "Oh gosh we're gonna die now."

Nate looked out the window. "Come on, we'll jump."

I slapped him.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Nate shouted, holding his cheek. The limo was still going back and forth.

"Are you trying to kill us by making us jump off a cliff?!" I retorted, the limo still tilting back and forth.

"Well it's now or never! The limo can't keep steady forever you know!"

"Nate I'm not gonna jump!"

"Just hold my hand and we'll find some last minute resort out of this! Just come on!" he said, opening the door.

I closed my eyes and grabbed the hand Nate held out to me. We sat at the edge of the limo and just as the limo fell, we jumped. Turns out when we jumped out, we fell, into mud... A mere two and a half feet from where we jumped. And we landed, face first. The end of the limo fell too, into the mud.

Nate and I sat up, the entire front of us brown from mud. "Nate?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he said.

".... Why didn't we fall off a cliff?" I asked.

Nate took his hand up and scraped some mud off his face. "I guess since there's no light out here, I thought it was a cliff."

"Yeah, two feet," I laughed, scraping some mud ff my face too. I stood up, shaking my hands. "Oh gosh look at us."

Nate laughed, standing up too. "I honestly never expected for a night to turn out like this."

"Neither did I," I laughed. "But, thanks to our little talk in that limo, I feel like a new person. First thing I do when I get back home, is that I'm gonna break up with Timothy."

"Yeah, if he doesn't break up with you first," Nate laughed. "Both his date and his limo are missing and in the mud."

"Yeah," I laughed, trying to shake the mud off my arms. "Come on, let's go back home, get cleaned up. We still got that play to rehearse for."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Nate said, as we made out way out of the mud.

--

"Here's your dress," Ember said, throwing it onto my bed, now clean from mud.

"Thanks," I said, turning off my blow dryer, having finished my shower. "This has been one crazy night eh?"

"I'll say," Ember laughed. "If you want to know, Nate's downstairs in the living room. He's done with his shower too."

"Good," I said.

"Also," Ember said, going to the bedroom door. "Principal Koel called while you were out on your date. There's a change in the story for the Romeo and Juliet script."

"There is?" I asked.

Ember nodded. "Yeah. Nate's looking over them right now downstairs. Go down if you wanna see," she said, heading out of the room.

I looked at my reflection, wondering what she meant by change in the script. After, grabbing one of my cat ear hats and placing it on my head, I went down the stairs of my house and saw Nate in the living room, reading over some papers. "Hey."

Nate looked up. "Oh, hey Ash. I see you got all the mud washed off."

"Barely," I laughed, plopping down on the couch next to him. "That the new script?"

"Yeah. We have the same characters. You're still Julliane, representing Juliet. Timothy's still Rick, representing Romeo. And I'm still Justin, Julliane's best guy friend."

I pouted. "Aw man, I forgot that I'll have to kiss Timothy."

"But look, the change is that Rick isn't a good guy anymore."

I starred at Nate strangely. "Wait, so if that's it, then who am I supposed to fall in love with?"

--

The curtains closed as the scene ended, the backstage people setting up for the final scene.

"Wow, this is getting good," Aiden said as the clapping died down.

"Yeah," Shane laughed. "I find it ironic how Nate and Ash are the couple in the play. And Romeo is supposed to be the villan."

"I guess," Jason said. "They still have to kiss don't they?"

"Yup," Ember grinned. "At the end of this last scene. Yesterday Ash asked Principal Koel if she could include one of her songs into the play."

"Ash wrote another song?" Shane asked his best friend.

Ember nodded. "Last minute."

The curtains rose and the lights shone. The background was a grassy field with a moonlit sky. I was sitting on a plastic rock with my guitar, right in the center of the stage. Nate came from the side. "Julianne!"

I looked up, remembering my lines. "Justin. Thanks for sneaking out."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Nate said, reciting his lines. "Just like how we used to sneak out as kids."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"So, how'd your parents take it when you said you wanted to cancel your arranged marriage with Rick?"

"Not so well," I admitted. "But they agreed nontheless. I mean, I'm a teeange girl trying to live a normal school life. Being engaged to the most popular boy at school doesn't exactly count as normal."

Nate smiled. "As long as you're happy."

I smiled, remembering what Nate said on the night of my date. "Thanks, Justin."

"So Jullianne," Nate said. "Why'd you bring your guitar?"

"Oh, I made a new song. I thought you'd want to listen to it, tell me what you think."

"Well then, let's hear it," Nate said. No one heard it yet except for Principal Koel and Ember.

"Wow," Nate smiled. "That was amazing."

I blushed. "Thanks."

"So, Julian," Nate said. "You love someone else, as in not Rick."

"Yes," I admitted.

"Is it me?" he asked awkwardly. I didn't know whether he was acting or if he was really nervous.

I nodded, acting shy. "Yeah. I've liked you all this time, Justin. Ever since we met as kids. And even with all my drama lately, you seemed more like my Romeo than Rick ever was. You always saving me, us always sneaking out to see eachother, parents not letting us be more than just friends..."

Nate took my face his his hand. "Do you want us to be more than friends?"

I looked into his eyes. It was like this was real life rather than just a play though. In my head I was screaming 'YES' I think. But I couldn't think about it now. We were on stage. So I did as instructed and kissed Nate. The crowd cheered and clapped as Niate and I broke apart, blushing. Wowza that was some kiss.

But I had to remember, it was just a play. But, I guess in a way I lately lived my version of Romeo and Juliet. Me being Juliet, Nate Romeo, Timothy being the person who kept us apart. But in both life and the play, there were happy endings, no one having to die. The play got a happy ending. We kissed. All that's left if my real life happy ending. But, maybe I should wait a while, remain best friends with Nate.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_On the inside of the dress, on the tag, were two letters, ML. "M.L. What's that?"_

_"I was hoping you knew," I said._

_--_

_I read over the monitor. "It says she was a G.R.A.Y Operative. I wonder why she got her memory wiped."_

_Nate looked at it. "Wow, a girl spy. She should be 18 now."_

_"That's Jason's age," I remembered._

_"She was a spy only for 6 months, until an accident," Nate read._

_"Nate, come on. We're going uptown to see Mystique Lostrin."_

We were both young when I first saw you  
I close my eyes  
And the flashback starts  
I'm standing there  
On a balcony in summer air  
See the lights,  
See the party,  
the ball gowns  
I see you make your way through the crowd  
And say hello  
Little did I know

__

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles  
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet  
And I was crying on the staircase  
Begging you please don't go, and I said  
Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story baby just say yes

__

So I sneak out to the garden to see you  
We keep quiet cause we're dead if they knew  
So close your eyes  
Escape this town for a little while  
Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter  
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet  
But you were everything to me  
I was begging you please don't go and I said

__

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story baby just say yes  
Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel  
This love is difficult, but it's real,  
Don't be afraid  
We'll make it out of this mess  
It's a love story baby just say yes

__

I got tired of waiting  
Wondering if you were ever coming around  
My faith in you is fading  
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

__

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone  
I keep waiting for you but you never come  
Is this in my head, I don't know what to think  
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, and said,  
Marry me Juliet you'll never have to be alone  
I love you and that's all I really know  
I talked to your dad, you'll pick out a white dress  
It's a love story baby just say yes


	31. Play Detective Pt1

_Ash and Nate find out that Jason is hiding a secret from everyone. When this involves the G.R.A.Y memory wiper and themselves, Ash is willing to gets answers straight from the source, taking Nate with her. Meanwhile, Shane and Ember get stuck in an underground cave for a whole day._

* * *

**Chapter 31: Play Detective Pt.1**

It was morning now, and I has slept over at the Grays again with Ember. I sat up to the sound of the alarm clock, Aiden still asleep in his bed. Nate was awake with me now. I smiled and rolled up my sleeping bag. I placed on one of my cat ear hats, heading down the fire pole with Nate. It was cold still, it being winter now in Mid-December.

As we arrived in the kitchen to make some cereal, I heard beeping from the Control Room. I arched my eyebrows and placed down the bowl and milk on the table with Nate. I tip toed to the control room and saw the door open. I walked in and saw Jason asleep at the computer, it still being on. On the monitor was stuff about the memory wiper. "Jason? Jason you asleep?" I asked, shaking his shoulder.

"Hm? What?" he said sleepily, sitting back up. "Oh, Ash." He yawned. "Good morning."

I chuckled. "Morning to you, too. What are you doing here so early. We don't have a mission or anything do we?"

"Nah, we don't," Jason said, getting back to work.

I looked back up at the colorful monitors. "What are you doing anyway? Something about the memory wiper?"

He x'ed out the windows so it was back to the original screen. "No, forget about it. Pretend I wasn't even in here."

I made a worried face. "You sure?"

He put a hand on my hat. "I'm sure Ash."

I put on a small smile. "Alright. I'm making breakfast with Nate if you're hungry."

"No, go home first. Your mom called about something and told me that once you wake up you should head over there."

I blinked as he walked out of the control room, but shrugged it off. After getting out of the room, I put on a jacket and shoes.

"Where you going?" Nate asked, coming into the living room.

"Going home first. Mom called," I said. "Wanna come?"

Nate shrugged and grabbed a coat and pair of shoes. We ran out and down the block to my place.

"Mom I'm home!" I called into the house, not really taking into mind whether she was already awake or not.

"Up here Ash!" Mom yelled from up the stairs.

Nate and I put my coat on the couch and went upstairs. "Yeah Mom?!" I called out, since I couldn't find up.

"Boo," she said right behind me and Nick, scaring us.

I yelped and jumped, turning around, and coming face to face with her upside down. It was then I realized she was hanging from the attic.

"Ms. Drame what are you doing?" Nate asked, still surprised.

"I got a letter in the mail," she said as she went back up. Nate and I looked at eachother in confusement and we both went up into the attic with a ladder. "Your cousin Marie is having a wedding, Ash. You remember her don't you?"

I looked up, having flashbacks of when she would babysit me and Nate as todlers, Jason and Shane still being kids themselves. "Wow, I remember her."

"She was an awesome babysitter, your cousin," Nate reminisced.

"She must be old now," I said.

"Yup, and getting married too. About time don't you think?" Mom said, pulling out a large trunk. "She wants you to me one of the Bridesmaids."

"Is that all you asked me to come here for?" I asked.

"Pretty much," she said, stopping in front of me.

"That'll mean you have to wear a dress," Nate pointed out.

I blinked. "That'll mean who will have to what a who now?"

"I expected that kind of answer, you know," Mom laughed. "She wants you to wear the Grays' sky blue long dress for the wedding like the rest of the other bridemaids so you all match."

I looked at Nate. "I didn't know you had a long sky blue dress."

"I don't have a long sky blue dress," Nate replied confused.

"That's what I thought too, until she told me that we had it somewhere in storage," Mom said. "I don't exactly remember it, but I thought I should check anyway."

"And you think it's in this trunk?" I asked, kneeling down in front of it with her, Nate following the suit.

"Yup," Mom said, unlocking it and opening the lid. A bunch of dust flew around as Nate, Mom, and I coughed. Geez it's just a trunk.

"Wow," I said, looking inside. "Look at all this stuff."

"Vintage," Nate said, pulling out some old looking coats. "This must be some of my grandparents' stuff we left up here in the attic when we switched houses."

"Oh," I said in realization. I picked up a weird looking jacket. "No wonder you left it here," I said in disgust as I dropped the jacket.

"Hey, found it," mom said, taking out some blue from the bottom. And there she had a long blue sky dress that looked absolutely beautiful. Way too beautiful for me to say I didn't like it. It wasn't all classy and chic like most dresses. This was simply... simple.

"Wow," I said in amazement, feeling the fabric. "Gosh Nate you should have shown me this a long time ago."

"I didn't know we had that," Nate said, looking at the dress Mom gave me. "Doesn't look like something that would belong to my grandparents."

"Maybe it belonged to your mom as a kid," Mom said. "Ash try it on soon alright. You two need to head back or something?"

"Oh right, pancakes!" I jumped throwing the dress and jumping down forgetting the ladder. Nate caught the dress before it could fall and ran after me, jumping down as well.

My mom laughed. "Those two."

"We're back!" Nate yelled, running into the house with me after throwing off his shoes. I grabbed the dress from him and ran.

"Welcome back," Aiden welcomed from the kitchen with a full mouth of cereal.

Nate laughed. "Morning."

"Yeah morning," I said quickly, sprinting up the stairs like lightning.

"Ok..." Jason said.

Aiden looked at the staircase. "She on coffee or something?"

Nate laughed, taking a seat with his brothers. "No. She got one of our dresses from an old trunk of ours at her attic. She has to wear it for an upcoming wedding and she wants to try it on."

"Did I heard right or did Nate just say Ash _wanted_ to try on a dress?" Aiden asked Jason.

Nate shrugged. "She gets weirder and weirder everyday. Hard for me to keep track of her." Nate looked at the two empty chairs. "Where's Ember and Shane?"

"Backyard," Jason answered. "Before Dad left he said he's gonna build another G.R.A.Y room under the backyard. He's dug most of out out. He just needs Shanee to finish it. And somehow Shane persuaded Ember to come with him."

"Ah."

"Hey guys!" I said, walking down the stairs instead of the elevator and fire pole. "Look!" They all turned around and starred at me. Their eyes bulged and made me laugh. "What?"

"You should wear a white version of that for your own wedding," Aiden complimented.

"Makes me feel like I've seen it somewhere before," Nate said with an expression. "Can't put my finger on it though."

I laughed. "Thanks, I think."

"That dress," Jason started.

"What about the dress?" I asked, looking at it, seeing if there was any stain or something.

"W-Where did you find that again?" Jason asked.

"Um, one of our old trunks we left at Ash's house before we switched houses," Nate replied weirdly. "Why?"

Jason looked like he was about to say something until he closed his mouth. "Um, I've gotta go, to my room."

We all watched as he walked to the elevator, not even looking up. I frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Nah," Aiden said with a wave of his hand. "Jason's been acting like that all day."

"He has?" Nate asked.

Aiden nodded. "Yeah, he's a lot more quiet for some reason."

"This morning he was in the control room looking up stuff about the G.R.A.Y memory technology," I said to the guys. "You think that has anything to do with it?"

"Maybe," Frankie said. "I think Jason's hiding something."

"Obviously," Nate said.

I smiled. "I'll go change back into some normal clothes then we can play detective."

"Aright," Nate replied as I went into the elevator.

--

After getting dressed into some pants, a sweater, vest, and cat ear hat, I went out to the backyard to see if Shane and Ember want to join in on this investigation. When I got there I saw nothing by a small amount of grass surrounded by a tall wooden fence, until I saw a hole in the ground. I made a face and went over to it, seeing a ladder. I went down it and turned around, my mouth hanging open. "Wow."

"Ash?" Shane's voiced said. It was pretty light, with all the lanturns. And there was even a door from here to the giant room, which was open. I walked through it.

"Looks like a gym," I said. "You guys dug all this?"

"Yeah," Shane said below. I looked down, seeing him kneeling down, working with some screws for the door. "This is gonna be another secret room that Dad will use. He asked me to put another door down here for extra security. I'm gonna make this lock the best lock the world has ever known."

"Uh-huh," Ember said sarcastically, coming with with a shovel. "So Ash, what'cha doing here?"

"Just came by to ask you you two wanted to play detective with me, Nate, and Aiden," I answered. "Want in?"

"Sorry, busy," Shanee said, trying to put the little screw in.

Ember rolled her eyes. "You go. I'll wait for the braniac over here to finish the door."

I nodded. "Alright. Good luck."

"Wait," Shane called out. "When you leave, shut this door. I'll test it to see if it'll stop there and not go through."

"Kay," I said, taking the knob and slamming the door before jumping up the ladder and getting back to the surface. With that I went back into the fire house.

"Yes! It works!" Shanee cheered, standing back up and waving his hands.

Ember kept a still face and tried to re-open the door. "Then why is it locked?"

Shanee laughed. "Well of course it'd be locked. That's the whole point of the door, for security. And I've made it soundproof so it's even better."

Ember looked at Shane. "Then how do you _unlock_ it?"

"Turn the small yellow knob," Shane answered, putting all his tools back inside his toolbox.

Ember looked at the door. "I don't see any yellow knob."

Shane shot towards the door. "Oh no."

"What?"

"I put the lock on the other side of the door," he said quickly, trying to turn the knob, only to fall down on the floor. "Ouch."

"You mean we're stuck here?" Ember asked.

"Think so," Shane said nervously.

Ember looked at him. " Shane Gray you are SO DEAD!!!" she shouted, running around the room chasing Shane.

--

"So," I said, sitting in Nate and Aiden's bedroom. "What do we do first?"

"I'll go on the computer and try to do some research on G.R.A.Y's memory wiping technology. Maybe we'll find out what Jason was doing before," Aiden said.

"That's good, good," Nate nodded. "Alright, Ash what are you gonna do?"

"Look at my dress," I said, taking it into my hands.

Nate glanced at me. "Ash if all times to act like a girly girl you pick now?"

"Hey Nate, look," I said, making a confused face. "On the tag of the dress."

Nate sat down beside me. On the inside of the dress, on the tag, were two letters, ML. "M.L. What's that?"

"I was hoping you knew," I said. "You said this morning this dress was familiar. Do you have anyone in your family with the initials of M.L. Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles?"

"No," Nate said, shaking his head. "And what would this dress be doing in that trunk in the first place?"

"Hey guys, I think I found something," Aiden said, getting our attention. I put the dress down and went over to the computer with Nate.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I found a list of people who's had their memory wiped by G.R.A.Y," Aiden told us.

"Wow, look at all these people," Nate said. "Maybe these are dangerous villains who had to have their memories wiped, or people who found out about G.R.A.Y who weren't supposed to."

"Yeah," I said as Aiden scrolled down the list of names and pictures. Until I saw something. "WAIT STOP!"

"Ah!" Aiden and Nate jumped. "What is it?"

"Look!" I said, pointing my arm at the screen. "That's us!"

"What?! Who?! Where?!" Aiden panicked, looking in all directions.

"Right there!" I said, my fingers on the monitors. There were pictures of the younger me, Nate, and Shane.

"Whoa that is us," Nate said in shock. "I don't remember us having our memories wiped."

"Of course we wouldn't remember it. It's called memory wiping!" I snapped. "When'd this happen? Why?"

"Well don't look at me," Aiden said. "And we can't ask Dad. I don't even think we should be seeing these G.R.A.Y files."

"Wait, where's Jasonn?" Nate asked, looking around the monitor.

"He isn't in there," I said, just noticing that now. "Maybe Jason knows something about this."

"But we shouldn't go to him yet, not yet," Nate said. "Search up someone with the initials of M.L. Aiden."

"On it, Nate," Aiden said, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

"I had a bad feeling about this," I said. "Like if we're caught we'll be a lot more than dead."

"What can be worse than dead?" Nate asked me.

"Dead covered in glue and feathers," I glared back.

"Found someone," Aiden said. "Mystique Lostrin."

I read over the monitor. "It says she was a G.R.A.Y Operative. I wonder why she got her memory wiped."

Nate looked at it. "Wow, a girl spy. She should be 18 now."

"That's Jason's age," I remembered. "What else does it say?"

"She was a spy only for 6 months, until an accident," Nate read. "It says she and her team were facing some scientist named Ryan. And then this is when the accident took place, and she could no longer be a spy."

"No longer be a spy?" I repeated. "How awful. I wonder what happened."

"And she had to have her memory wiped because of it," Nate said. "Those who can no longer be spies under the age of 15 have to have their memory wiped. Rules."

I glared at the air. "I hate rules."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "Guys, you think this is the girl that owned the blue dress? M.L?"

"Maybe," Nate said unsurely. "But why would we have it in the first place? And I'm still trying to figure out why we had to get our memory wiped."

"Wait," I said. "Dress, Gray, memory wiping. It's so obvious!"

"It is?" Aiden and Nate asked.

I groaned. "Yes! Jason knows that girl!"

"He does?" they asked.

"For the last time yes!" I shouted. "We probably did too!"

"We did?" they asked.

"Yes we did! But then we probably had our memory wiped! And that's why we don't remember her!"

"We don't?"

"Stop that!" I snapped, making Nate fall down and Aiden jump.

I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "And for some reason Jasin hasn't had his memory wiped, and that's why he's not on the monitor. He remembers Mystique Lostrin!"

"So what do we do now?" Nate asked, sitting up and rubbing his head. I grabbed the keyboard and started typing stuff in.

"Ash what are you doing?" Aiden asked unsure.

"Searching for Mystique's location," I answered. "Get ready guys, I've got a plan."

"Am I supposed to be scared?" Nate asked, making me look at him. "Sorry, continue with your, plan."

I rolled my eyes. "Ok, Aiden, you stay here and try to get something out of Jason. But don't mention that we found any of this info. Don't say we are investigating, don't saw we know Mystique, and don't say we not here."

Aiden made a face. "You won't be here?"

I smirked. "Nate, come on. We're going uptown to see Mystique Lostrin."


	32. Play Detective Pt2

_Ash and Nate find out that Jason is hiding a secret from everyone. When this involves the G.R.A.Y memory wiper and themselves, Ash is willing to gets answers straight from the source, taking Nate with her. Meanwhile, Shane and Ember get stuck in an underground cave for a whole day._

* * *

**Chapter 32: Play Detective Pt.2**

"I can not believe we're doing this," Nate said as we rode on the bus.

"Oh come on, it's not like we're flying out of the state or country," I said.

Nate turned to me. "But what are we supposed to say? She's not even supposed to remember us, let alone Jason. We don't even know the whole story behind it all."

"But we have to try," I said desperately. "I mean, what if _we_ were separated like that? If I got my memory wiped? You'd try and find me wouldn't you?"

Nate blushed. "Well, yeah but-"

"But nothing," I said sternly. "From what I come to believe, Jason and Mystique must have been best friends, childhood friends maybe. Remember or not, they should see each other again."

"And if we're caught?" he asked.

"Must you worry about every plan?" I asked.

"Um, yeah? Cause out of us two, I'm the only one with real common sense."

"And that's why we make a good team!" I said as I put my arm around me as he made a face. Our stop came and we got off the bus.

"Alright," Nate said, taking out a paper. "We're here. Mystique's apartment should be around that way."

"Right," I said. "Let's go."

--

"This is soooo boring," Ember said as she sat up with her back against Shane's.

"Well what do you propose we do?" Shane asked.

"I don't know Shane. I didn't plan on getting stuck in an underground cavern for my Sunday morning," she said.

"Must you always try and blame me with everything that goes wrong?" he asked.

"Yes because it always is your fault," Ember said back.

Shane rolled his eyes. "Then why do we consider ourselves best friends?"

Ember blinked. "Hm.... I don't know really.... I can't remember. Basically I always remember us fighting."

Shane chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

Ember turned her head around. "So how did we _become _best friends?"

Shane turned his head around too. "I think it was when we met."

Ember made a confused face. "How did we meet anyway?"

Shane blinked in confusement as well. "Weird, I don't remember that either."

Ember and Shane looked at eachother then up, trying to figure out how they became best friends.

--

"Wow, I've never been in an apartment building before," I said, walking around in all directions. "Everything looks the same.... Like school but smaller halls and more doors."

Nate laughed. "Come on Ash. We have to stay focused if we're really gonna do this."

We stopped in front of a door. "Well, here we are, Room 306."

Nate knocked on the door and we both stood there, young 15 year old teenagers. Not suspicious right?.... Right?

The door opened and we saw a woman there with long brown hair and bandages around her eyes. "Can I help you?" Her voice sounded older but young. Like my mom. Well, I don't know.

"Uh," I said. "Is this the Lostrin residence?"

"Yeah. Here, come in. You sound cold," she said, opening her door full way. Nate and I looked at each other. We sound cold? We're not shivering or anything. And she had white bandages around her eyes. Not the wisest decision to let strangers in. But we're not complaining.

"Um, nice place," Nate complimented, his eyes looking around.

"Here, sit," the woman said, pointing at the couch as she exited the room.

Nate and I looked and saw a brown orange couch. Okay how did she even know the couch was there? Oh well, we sat down.

"Akward," I said.

Nate looked at me. "That sounded like something Shane would say."

I laughed. "You think this would have been easier if we had Shane and Ember with us?"

Nate and I looked up, having flashbacks of all the times Shane and Ember argued together, then of how many times Ember slapped Shane upside the head. We looked at each other. "Nah."

"Sorry for the wait," the woman said, coming back into the room. "So, any particular reason you're here?"

"Yes," I said, speaking. "We're looking for Mystique Lostrin. Do you know her?"

"You're looking at her," she said, making mine and Nate's heads jump. "So, who are you two anyway?"

"I'm Nate Gray. This is Ash Drame," Nate said.

Her head looked up, as if her eyes were looking at ours, if we could see her eyes. "Nate and Ash... Interesting names."

"Um, thank you," I said, being polite. Well she doesn't remember us, so it was safe to say our full names.

"So, what are kids like you doing around here uptown?" Mystique asked.

"Um...." Nate said. "Ash what are we doing?" he whispered.

I sighed. "Um... listen, Mystique-"

"Mysti. I'm used to Mysti."

"Right, Mysti," I corrected. "Do you... know anyone by the name of Jason Gray?"

She kept still. You would think that intimidating eyes made any conversation tense. Well, no eyes are just as intimidating. "What of him? He isn't here."

"Well, yeah but, uh," I stammered, getting nervous. "Nate help me out of here."

Nate nodded. "Mysti, we simply came down here to ask you a couple questions. And pretty much the main question is 'Do you know Jason Gray?"

She sighed, holding her head down. But then she brought it back to us. "Let me ask you two something first, before I say anything else."

"S-Sure," I said.

"So you know about G.R.A.Y?"

Our heads jumped. That was the last thing I remembered to hear her say. She wasn't supposed to remember anything. "Um, yeah. We're spies. H-How do you know about G.R.A.Y?"

Mysti laughed. "Just for the record, you can stop trying to hide secrets. I know who you two are. I know Jason Gray. I used to be a spy. That answer all your questions?" she asked, getting up and going to the kitchen fridge and getting a water bottle.

"For the most part, yes," Nate answered surprised. "But your memory's supposed to be wiped. The proof was on the files on my computer."

Mysti shook her head. "Let me tell you guys a little story."

I smirked. "Ooh, story. I like her already."

Mysti laughed. "Okay, it started like this. I was 12, Jason was 12. You two and Shane were only little kids. I remember Mrs. Gray was pregnant."

"With our little brother Aiden," Nate said.

"Wow, Aiden Gray. Good name, good name," Mysti smiled. "Well, Jason and I were teammates together. And we were childhood friends, together ever since day one."

"Day one?" I asked.

Mysti laughed. "Yeah. Both our moms were in the same hospital. So Jason and I practically knew each other ever since our first day alive in the nursery."

"Aw, I've gotta tease him about that later," I said, feeling my girly side coming along.

"Don't bother. He wouldn't remember," Mysti said.

"He wouldn't?" Nate asked. "Why? And how do you know all of this anyway?"

"Story," Mysti replied. "One day, today actually, Jason and I went on a mission. We had to try and stop this mad scientist named Ryan. He had this weird obsession with lasers and he wanted to split apart the country and rule one half."

"What that's crazy," I said.

"Not as crazy as his evil laugh," Mysti scoffed. "Anyway, Jason and I were having the last battle with him. But, last minute, he took out this laser gun, and was about to shoot Jason."

"Oh my gosh," I said quietly in shock.

"What happened?" Nate asked.

She made a half smile. "Jason was my best friend, still is to me. And I'd give my life for him anyway..."

"... So what'd you do?" I asked with a weak voice.

She lifted a finger and pointed at her eyes. "This."

"The lasers hit your eyes. Took away your sight" Nate asked, finally understanding. He could only imagine the kind of psysical pain Mysti went through that day.

Mysti nodded, rememberingevery moment from the past.. "Yeah, but Jason was alright. I mean, that laser could have killed him or something. I mean, it hit my eyes but I'm not dead."

"Yeah, you're blind," I said bluntly. "How can you see?"

"I'm a lot more capable than you think I am. I didn't become a G.R.A.Y spy for nothing," Mysti laughed, lightning the mood. "I have heightened senses. And actually, my left eye is still usable."

"Really?" Nate asked.

"Yeah. But I find it easier to be completely blind, I bandage both my eyes. When I remove my bandages, my left eye's blue and my right eye's like... all blurish or something. It's weird. But I'm not totally blind. I just choose to be."

"Wow, that's amazing," I said smiling, totally amazed with this woman.

"Thanks," Mysti said. "And I take care of myself here in my apartment, so I don't have to worry about school."

I grinned like I just saw a miracle. "Can I live here?"

Nate laughed and hit my arm lightly. "Anyway, what happened next?"

Mysti sighed. "Well, I could no longer be a G.R.A.Y spy. And, I was scheduled for a memory wiping."

"So how'd you get out of it?" I asked.

"I didn't," Mysti said, shaking her head. "I was in the Gray's basement on a chair strapped down to it with metal braces. I looked into a light, flash like a photo, and bam, my memory would be wiped. But, it wasn't me in the end."

"I don't follow," Nate said, looking for more of an explanation.

"There's a countdown," Mysti continued. "Every time there's a memory wipe, it must take place in a closed up room. There will be a flash. And whoever sees that flash, their memory is wiped."

--**FLASHBACK/MYSTI'S POV--**

_I was sitting in a metal chair, my ankles and wrists strapped down by metal braces. A number started counting down from 30. Once it reached zero, I would forget everything. I could forget Jason, my best friend. I would forget everything that had to do with my best friend and his family._

_'I can't believe it'd end like this,'_

_My left my was bandaged, and I was looking down, trying not to cry. Why cry? Once I reopen my eye I won't even remember why I was crying._

_"Mysti!" yelled one of the most familiar voices I ever remembered. I looked up and in a distance, I saw Jason, catching his breath, running down the stairs._

_"Jason get out of here!" I shouted._

_"No way," he said, sounding determined as he ran to me. "I'm busting you out of here, Mysti."_

_"Jason no. I don't want you getting into trouble."_

_"No!" Jason said, trying to get me out of my chair. "The others' memories were wiped! It's not fair that I'll be the only one allowed to keep my memories! If anything, you'll remember."_

_"Jason..." I said, touched. Even down to the last few seconds, he was still my best friend. "No, I can't let you do that. The machines know if they affected someone or not. If someone's memory isn't wiped we'll get in trouble!"_

_"Then go!" Jason shouted. The braces around my ankles and wrists were suddenly removed and Jason pulled me up. It was down to the last 10 seconds now. Jason pulled me across the room and up the stairs. He shoved me out the door and slammed the door. The last thing I heard was 3, 2, 1, and then a sound of a flash. My eye cried as I banged on the door, before sliding to the ground. "Jason!"_

"Oh my gosh," I said, blowing into a tissue. "That's so sad."

"So in the end Jason's memory was wiped?" Nate asked.

Mysti nodded. "Yeah. He remembered everything but me. And I never came back. I didn't want to face friends who wouldn't remember me... And yet here you two are."

"You must really miss him," I said with sympathy.

"I missed all of you," Mysti said. "But yeah... I missed Jason a lot."

Nate made a small smile. "You know, you can come with us, visit Jason."

Mysti shook her head. "Nah, he wouldn't remember me."

"But he does!" I shouted suddenly, startling Nate and Mysti. "Mysti, did you ever own a long, sky blue, velvet dress?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I wore that to my last dance at school before my right eye turned blind. Why?"

"Ash found it in a trunk," Nate spoke up, pointing his thumb at me. "She put it on and I guess it sorta triggered my memory."

"Jason too," I said. "Ever since this morning, he's been in the control room researching G.R.A.Y's memory technology, he's been all quiet lately and not himself, and that dress definitely, if anything, must have triggered something."

"Nate, Ash I don't know about this," Mysti said unsure.

"Please," Nate said. "Jason really needs this. Ash didn't drag me all the way up here for nothing."

Mysti looked at me and I made a hopeful smile that simply spelled out 'please?'.

--

"I can not believe it, how can I not remember how we met?" Ember asked after hours. "I always remember stuff."

Shane laughed. "Yeah, we make a good team. You're the brains, I'm the brawn. I protect you, you protect me."

Ember shot her head up. "Shane you're a genius."

Shane looked at her strangely. "Isn't this supposed to be the other way around usually?"

Ember laughed and placed her hand on Shane's shoulder. "No Shane, I remember. We met at the playground, remember? I was playing in the sandbox and a bunch of guys started messing with me. then you tried to protect me and then-"

"And then I ended up with a black eye," Shane laughed. "But they ran away."

"Because I pushed one of them down," Ember chuckled.

Shane smiled. "Alright, alright, you won the fight. But, you did try to heal my black eye. Keyword try."

"Yup," Ember nodded. "Your Mom bought us ice cream then. I tried to heal your eye but then I accidentally threw my ice cream cone into your eye."

Shane laughed. "Oh yeah, I remember exactly what I said. _When I said I wish I had something cold on my eye I didn't mean ice cream!_"

Ember and Shane laughed. "And there began our fighting streak," Ember laughed.

"Yeah," Shane sighed, his laughter dying down. "How'd we forget that part anyway?"

"I don't know," Ember said. "We were split up for a couple years, we grew up. We forgot a lot of stuff."

"Like how to be good kids like Ash and Nate are."

Ember nodded. "Too bad they're too immature to realize they like each other."

"Oh yeah," Shane agreed with a nod. "You know, somehow, I feel like we're gonna remember something else soon today."

"I just hope someone remembers we're down here so they can get us _out_ of here," Ember said, looking back at the locked door.

".... Ok let's face it, no one's gonna remember we're down here," Shane said, standing up.

Ember looked at him. "What are you doing?"

"Em, we got a shovel, we got a strong Gray," Shane said, flexing his muscles on his left arm. "I can dig us out of here."

Ember blinked. "Wow... why didn't I think of that?"

"Because we were too caught up in the living memories of friendship?" Shane said randomly.

They looked at each other and suddenly laughed. "Ok ok, throw me a shovel. I'm not gonna have you faint from lack of water and have me dug us both out of here myself come on," Ember said, standing up as well.

--

"Aiden I'm not in the mood," Jason said as Aiden dragged him to the backyard.

"But please! You have to know who this girl is! I bet she made you good pancakes!"

Aiden looked down at his little brother. "Why would you say that?"

"Because pancakes are a good way of remembering people!" Aiden said.

Jason shook his head. "Whatever, I'm out of here."

"Jason wait!" Nate said, running out the door and into the backyard. It was night now and all the lights were on, lighting up the backyard.

"Nate!" Aiden said with a grin.

"Dude where've you been all day?" Jason asked.

"Long story, not time to explain," Nate said, shaking his head. "Aiden?"

"He can't remember a girl for his life," Aiden said waving his arms, only making Jason more confused.

"Remember who?" Jason asked.

"Ahem?" I said, coming up behind Nate, holding Mysti's hand and guiding her around. "Hey Jason."

"Ash, what have you and Nate been doing?" Jason asked. "And where is Shane and Ember?"

"Forget Shane and Ember right now," I said, shaking my head. "Now, do you remember, a girl, from when you were 12 years old?"

"Would someone just please say her name so I can stop guessing?" Jason asked, getting irritated.

"Jason?" Mysti spoke up, catching everyone's attention. Nate stepped aside and let Jason see the girl we brought here.

I led her down to the grass and got Jason's and her hand together. "Jason, this is-"

"Mysti..." Jason finished as Aiden and I went back to the sidelines with Nate. "Oh my gosh I remember now."

"You do?" Mysti asked. "But it's impossible."

"I know," Jason said, his hands holding Mysti's. "Lately a lot of weird miracles have been happening."

"Ever since Ash joined G.R.A.Y," Aiden whispered as Nate and I covered his mouth, watching Jason's and Mysti's moment.

"I'm surprised you still remember me," he said.

"Well, I can't see. And all I remember are you guys. You were after all a big chunk of my life."

Jason smiled. "I'm just glad you're here, with us.... I just wish you could see."

"I can, with my left eye," Mysti said. I haven't used it ever since I was 12 though."

"You didn't?" Aiden and Nate asked, before I covered their mouths.

"Shut up you two, we're not going there again," I whispered.

Mysti slowly unwrapped her bandages from around her head and under her hair, Jason helping her. Once she got it off, she still had her bandages over her right eye.

"Can you see?" Jason asked, worried about her.

She looked back up, looking directly at Kevin. She smiled and hugged him, catching Jason by surprise as he blushed.

"Aw, he's blushing," I said smiling as Aiden and Nate covered my mouth.

"Good to have you back, Mysti," Jason said, hugging her.

"Good to be back with my best friend," Mysti whispered back.

My mouth smiled under Nate's and Aiden's hands as I placed my arm around the shoulders.

"A good ending for a good weekend," Aiden said

"If you could this as an ending," Nate said, rolling his eyes. "It's only 8:00. Still have a couple hours left for more surprises."

"We made it!" Shane's voice shouted as a shovel stuck up from the ground, making everyone look there.

"Like that," Nate said.

The hole got bigger as Ember and Shane came out of it, all dirty and exhausted. "Finally" Ember breathed out.

"Oh yeah!" I said suddenly. "I forgot Ember and Shane were down there!"

Ember laughed. "Long story. We got stuck and we had to dig out way out."

"Which we did," Shane said smiling and turning around. "Hey Mysti."

"Hey," Mysti said back, still hugging Jason

Nate and I looked confusingly at each other. "Shane you remember Mysti?" I asked.

Shane looked back at us, then at Mysti and Jason hugging. "Oh my gosh it's Mysti!"

I held my head back as Ember slapped her forehead. "I knew it was too good to last forever," Ember mumbled.

"What did you two do stuck down there all day anyway?" Aiden asked.

Ember ruffled his hair. "Sorry Aiden. What happened down there, stays down there."

Frankie made a face. "You didn't make out did you?"

Ember gave him a look. "You're lucky you're a kid."

Shane dropped his shovel. "Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna go find a couch, lay there, sleep, couple, 2, 3, 50 hours."

Ember laughed. "Come on, Shane. We could both use a rest."

I watched as Ember and Shane walked inside, helping each other keep steady. "Well isn't this all sweet. All of us have our best friends. Much like us, the originals."

"The originals?"

I laughed. "Yeah. First us, then Shane and Ember, and now Jason and Mysti. We're the first people."

"Isn't it technically Mysti and Jason the first people?" Nate asked.

"Yeah but we stayed together ever since we met. No separations or memory wiping."

"I guess you're right," Nate shrugged. "And so is Aiden."

I looked at Nate. "What's he right about?"

"Ash, ever since you joined G.R.A.Y back in September, life's been a lot more different, for the better."

"Just because I'm a spy? I don't think so," I said, shaking my head. "I think we could have done all this even _without_ my being a spy."

"Maybe," Nate said. "But now I get to spend a lot more time with you on a lot more exciting stuff."

I smiled, hugging him. "I'm so glad you're my best friend. I got the better Gray brother for my best friend."

Nate laughed, blushing. "Thanks. You too."

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Where're the guys?"_

_"What guys?" Ember asked with a face. "You must have caught some amnesia or something when your head hit that coat rack."_

_--_

_The TV turned on and then I saw the last thing I thought I'd ever see on TV. "Now, today on Georgia's, help me welcome today's star guests, Connect 3!"_

_"What are Nate, Shane, and Jason doing on TV?!"_

_"Now, your next concert is going to be in Wyckoff right? Your hometown?"_

_--_

_"I just want to go home," I said. "Connect 3's concert is tonight in town. We can go there and I can talk to them!"_

_"Then I'll help you," Ember said. " I hate to admit it, but Connect 3 is pretty much the most famous band in the world. I'd find it a miracle we even get a ticket this late."_

_"Who said we'd be getting tickets?" I said with a devious smirk._

_Did Demetri seriously send me to another dimension?_


	33. FlashDimension Pt1

_Demitri, Chrono's brother, sends Ash to an alternate dimension. But in this dimension, G.R.A.Y never exhisted, and the guys became Connect 3, leaving their childhood in New Jersey. Can Ash ever return home?

* * *

_

**CHAPTER 33: Flash-Dimension Pt1**

I was in my house with the group, watching a movie on TV.

"Well that was an entertaining movie," Ember said, shutting off the TV.

I nodded with a grin. "Yeah. Living the rock star life. That sounds like fun."

Nate looked at me. "Don't you have enough fun being a spy?"

I smiled at Nate. "Yeah, but being famous and being secret are two whole different things. It'd be nice experiencing what the other life is like."

Shane chuckled. "What's there to experience that we already aren't experiencing now?"

Jason smiled. "Come on, let's hit the hey. We had school, a weird mission, a movie, our day's complete."

All of us agreed and went into our sleeping bags. "You know," I said. "Technically we may have captured Demetri, but we never did stop his 'transfer-everyone-to-another-demention' invention."

Demetri is Chrono's brother, another psyco criminal bent on some weird ambition. Nate laughed. "Like that thing even works. At least he's caught, it's not our responsibility anymore."

I pouted, sitting on the couch. Ember and I got the two couches while Jason, Shane, and Nate slept in sleeping bags. "I'll be right back. I'll get an extra blanket upstairs in my room." After going up the stairs and to my room, I went to my closet and turned the lights on. "Blankets, blankets. Gosh it's winter and I loose the blankets." I turn around and find Demitri, the bad guy we caught today, making me yelp.

He smirked. "Thought you got rid of me?"

"Ash what's wrong?!" Nate shouted, him, Shane, Jason, and Ember behind him. "Demitri."

"In the flesh," Demitri said with a smirk. "And now, Ashley, I've had enough with you foiling mine and my brother's plans. And now, our revenge, haha." He brought out a small box and pressed a button. Suddenly a weird vortex thing opened up in the closet, pulling me in.

I screamed, being lifted off the ground. Nate reached for my hand, but missed. "Ash!"

"Nick!" I shouted, disappearing into the vortex. Yup, so much for the day being completely. It's already late at night but its like the day just begun.

--

"Ugh...." I moaned, shaking my head. I sat up straight, looking around the room. It looked familiar. My room? Everything looked a bit rearranged. "Huh?"

"Ash, you're awake!" Ember said, running into the room. She came up and hugged me.

I blinked in confusement. "Huh? What happened? Where's Demetri? The vortex?" My hand went to the top of my head, touching my hair, no cat ears made of faberic. "My hat."

Ember chuckled, sitting at the side of my bed. "You must have hit your head harder than I thought. Next time we decide to sleep in the cold of the living room for no reason, _I'm_ getting the blankets. You must have hit your head pretty hard."

I blinked again. "What?" I remembered the guys were sleeping over, and I decided we should all sleep in the living room because my bedroom would be too cramped for all of us. "Where're the guys?"

"What guys?" Ember asked with a face.

I held a face filled with confusion. Wait... did Demetri seriously send me to another dimension? Am I in some alternate universe?.... No right?.... Right?!

"You know... the guys... Shane, Jason, Nate. Where are they?"

Ember's mouth dropped open. "Did you just seriously say their names?"

"Um... yeah? What about it?"

She shook her head with her eyes closed. "You must have caught some amnesia or something when your head hit that coat rack."

"Um, right! Right! Memory loss! Can't remember a darn thing yup," I said with a nervous laugh. "Um, so, breakfast?"

Ember smiled and we both went down the stairs. I took notice of all the changes in the house. Not much but, I could tell I was somewhere totally different. We arrived in the living room and into the kitchen.

"Morning dearie," Mom greeted with a smiling face.

I stopped in my tracks, looking at my Mom. See was wearing a long colorful dress, with an apron. She-She looked like one of those home-making moms from the 90's. She wasn't the same teen-like modern Mom I had back home... I think. Technically I _am_ home. Ugh see how confusing this is?!

"G-Good morning Mom," I stuttered, trying to take it in.

"Good morning Mrs. D," Ember greeted, setting up the plates and stuff on the table. Weird. We never did that back home. We just got our plates ourselves since it's just the three of us usually, unless the guys came over.

I noticed Ember set up four settings. Four? Who's number four?

"I'm home!" said a manly voice from the living room. I turned my head and my eyes widened. I saw my dad there, in the flesh, alive.... Oh my gosh I really am in another dimension aren't I.

"Dad?" I asked in disbelief.

"Ash! How's my baby girl doing?" he asked, giving me a bone crushing hug, lifting me off the ground. I groaned from the pain in my spine until he put me down, laughing. "Man I never get tired of doing that."

"Welcome home honey," Mom said, kissing his cheek while holding a frying pan with a pancake inside. It was kinda weird seeing my mom kiss someone, even if it was my dad. I looked back into the living room and saw no sleeping bags.

_'If the guys aren't here, then where are they?'_

"So, what took you so long, Mr. D?" Ember asked, setting up the forks and spoons. "You're home earlier usually.

"Sorry. I had to take care of some fire trucks back at the fire house," Dad said, making my head turn.

"Take care of who at the where what now?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

Dad looked at me weirdly until Ember spoke up. "She hit her head last night and blacked out. She might have some temporary memory loss with some things."

"Ah," Dad said with a nod.

Mom rushed over, feeling my forehead. "Oh my dear, are you alright, Ashley? No bumps on your forehead? I want you to rush upstairs, get in bed, and I'll make you some chicken soup-"

"Hey, don't worry about Ash," Dad said, taking my Mom's shoulder before she could start over reacting, unless she already was. Mom was acting more.... mom-mom like. "She's a Drame. Some bump to the head can't keep her down."

I smiled at my dad. I expected for him to treat me think way once I was this age.

"Oh I swear you treat her more like a son than you do a daughter," Mom scoffed. "You affected her when she turned 4. You gave her the option of Hot Wheels over Barbie. And she chose Hot Wheels! I just got her back into her studies so don't you go changing her back into a tomboy!"

I blinked at my parents' arguement. So this is what it's like to have an 'embarassing parent moment'.... Wait I'm not a tomboy?

We sat down around the table, eating our breakfast. "Ash, you're being quiet," Ember said.

I shot my head up. "S-Sorry. Am I usually quiet?"

"You're quiet but you're being timid," Dad said, taking the remote. "Let's watch some TV so maybe it might relieve you of some amnesia."

The TV turned on and then I saw the last thing I thought I'd ever see on TV. "Now, today on Georgia's, help me welcome today's star guests, Connect 3!"

My mouth hung open while Ember spit out her orange juice. On the TV Jason, Shane, and Nate came on camera and waved to what apparently was an audience of fangirls shouting so loud I'm surprised the glass didn't break. In the audience I could see some signs with outrageous sayings like 'Marry me!' and 'We love you Connect 3!'

Dad looked at my facial expression then at the TV, then back and forth. "What no jerkish comments about how you hate them?"

I hate them? "What are Nate, Shane, and Jason doing on TV?!"

Ember looked at me weirdly after wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Hello? Remember? The three people you hate most in the world? The jerks? I'm still trying to process through my mind you said each of their names individually."

"Thank you so much for coming here," Georgia said to the boys, my eyes glued to the screen.

"Thanks for inviting us here," Jasonsaid smiling.

"Now, I'll start off the show by asking you guys some questions," Georgia said, taking out some cards. "Ok, first off, anyone dating anyone?"

"Typical question," Ember mumbled as she glared at the screen.

"Not at this moment," Shane said.

"Nate's dating Adriana though," Jason spoke up.

I arched my eyebrows. "Who's Adriana?"

Georgia smirked at Nate. "Ah, the youngest of the band, so the rumors about you and Adriana Ross are true?"

Nate smiled proudly. "Yes. Adriana and I are happily dating."

"Alright, next question," Georgia said, flipping to the next card. "Now, your next concert is going to be in Wyckoff right? Tour hometown?"

"That's right," Jason said..

"Now, my sources say you grew up in Wyckoff. You miss anything there or care to tell about any memorable people?"

"No, nothing much there worth remembering," Nate said shaking his head.

"Alright, our room, now!" Ember said, pulling me out of my chair and up the stairs. She pushed me into our bedroom and shut the door and window.

"What's with you?" I asked confused.

"Ash I know you have some memory loss at the moment but how can you not remember those guys?! We hate them!"

"So we do hate them?" I asked.

Ember gave me a look then held her head back. "Oh forget this. Let's just get ready for school."

"Oh, school, right," I said sadly as she walked into the bathroom to get ready. I wanted to have heard about _why_ we hate the guys. "I'm really stuck here aren't I."

At school, I went through with my same schedule, except without the guys, so it was even more boring than usual. And Ms. Autumn was much, nicer. It was kinda scary. It was lunch now and I was going to our table inside the cafeteria since there was snow outside.

"Can you believe that Connect 3 is coming here for their concert tonight?!" shouted one of the girls at the popular kids table.

"I know right?!"

"I bet I'll get one of the guys' attention," Sharmane said with that barbie smile of her's.

"Same old Sharmane," I said sitting alone at my table.

"Same what?" Ember asked, sitting across from me.

"Nothing," I said, playing with my food. I shivered in this cold temperature. And my head was cold since I didn't have my cat ear hat with me.

"Hey Ash, what up with the change of clothes?"

I looked at her weird. "What do you mean?"

"Usually you're wearing a skirt and tights and whatever those cheerleaders wear," Ember said. "Now you're wearing those pants and that sweater, I didn't even know you had those in your closet."

"Don't I usually wear these?" I asked, looking at myself.

"Never mind. I forgot you don't remember some stuff."

"Right, right," I said, remembering I told her I had amnesia. "Ember? Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," she said, eating her spaghetti.

I looked at her with hesitant eyes. "About the guys, why do we hate them so much?"

Ember looked up at me from her food. "You're seriously asking me that question?"

"Please Ember? I want to know why we hate them so much," I said pleading me.

Ember looked down sadly. "It's a long story you know."

"I like long stories," I said with a small smile.

Ember sighed. "Alright, only because I want you to remember so you can at least try to get back to normal." She sighed. "It started when you were 6. Nate got this big break with his brothers in the music business. They started ignoring us and by the time you turned 12, they left Wyckoff and became Connect 3. They hate us, we hate them, case closed."

"That's the story?" I asked in disbelief. I expected more of a reason.

She nodded. "Because they became Hollywood stars the fame must have gotten to their heads or something."

"Well, that can't be it," I said with a sad face.

"Well believe it, Ash, it's reality. Stinks being the former best friends of rock stars."

I blinked, remembering when we all watched that TV movie last night about teen rock stars. Oh the irony. "How could this have happened?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, but then the bell rung.

I picked up my lunch. "We'll take after school. I need to gather my thoughts."

I left Ember with a worried and confused expression as I walked alone into the hallways. How I missed Nate walking with me to every class we had together, which was pretty much everything. I know this is another dimension, but how could this have happened though? Everything happens for a reason.... Wait! I know why! G.R.A.Y! In this dimension, it doesn't exist! And, because there's no G.R.A.Y, we never became spies, and.... it's because we became spies that we got so close.

But... how is my dad alive? He should have passed away... shouldn't he? It's not because of G.R.A.Y's influence he died right?... I think.... And... it was because of my Dad's passing away I grew up to be the person I am now. I learned not to take everything for granted, how to sympathize for people, it was because of my Dad's death I had a lot of maturity at such a young age. But in this universe, he never died, and, I don't even think I learned those life lessons yet. I can only imagine the Ashley Drame in this universe before _I_ got here. Ugh, I just want to go home!

--

I walked out of the school with my stuff, heading home, alone. Nate wasn't here to talk with me like he always does when walking to either of our houses.

"Hey Ash! Wait up!" Ember shouted, running after me along the sidewalk.

I turned around, smiling faintly. "Hey Ember."

Ember and I began walking at a normal pace. "Ash you've been acting so tense all day. Even with some memory loss you shouldn't be like this."

"I'm sorry Ember. But you wouldn't believe my story if I told you," I said, continuing our walk through our neighborhood.

"Ash, I told you that story about those jerk faces, as much as it tortured me. Your turn."

I looked at her. "Alright, but don't blame me if you think it's crazy.... I'm... no who you think I am... I think. Se, it's like this. I _am _Ashley Drame but, from a different dimension. Your normal, skirt-wearing, Ash is, who knows where."

"I don't get it," she said. "I mean, you're from an alternate dimension version of this place? That's crazy."

"Live my life then tell me what's crazy," I laughed. "Compared to other things, this seems like something only _a little_ out of the ordinary, being sucked into an alternate universe."

Ember arched her eyes. "So if that's the case, what _do_ you do in 'your demention'?"

I smiled, standing straight and looking up. "I'm an undercover spy."

Ember stopped in her tracks with a surprised face. I stopped too and waited for her to laugh. "Cool!!!"

I frowned and blinked. "What? You actually believe me."

Ember put her arm around my shoulders. "Ash, well, weather you're my Ash or a different Ash, I can tell when you're truthful or not. It's my job since it's horrible counting on parents for that teen stuff."

I chuckled. "In my world it isn't. I talked to my Mom all the time about my stuff, well, except about being a spy. That was our's and the guy's thing."

"So they knew too?"

"Well it was called JG.R.A.Y. Of course they'd be spies too."

"The spy thing's called Gray?" she asked as if it was hard to believe.

"Yeah. It stands for Government Run Agent Youths."

She blinked. "...Clever anchronym."

"Yeah I know right?" I asked.

"But if you belong in that dimension, what are you doing here?" she asked as a car drove by along the snow shoveled streets.

"One bad guy Demetri sent me here for some evil plot-" my face fell. Why does this seem deja vu? Oh yeah, Chrono who sent me to the future. "Demetri. Man, he's probably gonna come after me any minute thinking I'm helpless without the guys."

Ember looked at me. "You actually work with the Grays for spy work?"

"Yeah. They're our friends," I said, remembering all our good times. "Nate's my best friend though. We're always together in every situation we go through."

"Wow, what'd I'd give to live in your dimension whee the jerks aren't jerks."

I laughed. "And you're Shane's best friend."

"What? That's mentally insane."

"Hey, don't ask me. I'm not the alternate you," I said with a chuckle. "I just want to go home."

"Then I'll help you," Ember said with a grin and thumbs up.

I made a small smile. "But then you'll be stuck here with the other me for the rest of your life hating the guys."

"Nah, it's fun being with just girls. We borrow eachother's clothes, talk about guys, gossiping...... Yeah it gets boring after a while."

I laughed. "See?" Suddenly an idea sparked in my head. "Wait, Connect 3's concert is tonight in town. We can go there and I can talk to them!"

"Yeah, you and every other thousands of girls there. I hate to admit it, but Connect 3 is pretty much the most famous band in the world. I'd find it a miracle we even get a ticket this late."

"Who said we'd be getting tickets?" I said with a devious smirk.

"You're a no good trouble making girl.... I'm in!"

I laughed and started walking again. "Alright then let's go!"

"W-Wait right now?"

"Yes now."

"Didn't your parents ever keep you under control or anything?"

I slowed my walking and looked at my feet. I noticed we walked by the fire house. It actually looked like a real fire house. The giant garage was still there, no wall to cover it. "Actually, I only live with my mom. My dad died when I was little."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry," she said. "It must have shocked you a lot when you saw him in th kitchen."

I laugehed. "You had no idea. I love my Dad but, I like it better at home. I guess bad things really don't happen unless something god comes out of it .My dad's death actually taught me a lot."

Ember smiled. "You're a good kid, Ash."

"Not without you and the guys. Now let's see if we can get things set straight so there's no hate-hate relationships here," I said with a grin.


	34. FlashDimension Pt2

_Demitri, Chrono's brother, sends Ash to an alternate dimension. But in this dimension, G.R.A.Y never existed, and the guys became Connect 3, leaving their childhood in New Jersey. Can Ash ever return home?_

* * *

**CHAPTER 34: Flash-Dimension Pt2**

It was late at night now. And after stopping by a cafe for something to drink and discuss our plans, we were on our way. Ember was kinda panicking though since were, in a way, running away, worrying about what would happen with Mom and Dad and how busted we'd be. But of course I'm not worrying. I do sneaky stuff like this on a daily basis.

"Alright Em, we're almost at the concert," I said, looking out the window on the bus and an excited look on my face.

"Ugh, I can't take this," Ember said with the same nervous expression she's had all day. The Ember back in my dimension would be enjoying something as adventurous as this.

I sat back down and looked at her. We were the only ones on the bus besides the driver now that it was so late. "Is this about meeting the guys again?"

"Well," Ember said, blushing and rubbing her neck. "Think about it, Ash. I haven't talked to them in years. And the last conversation we had was yelling and arguing. Shouldn't really be expecting much enthusiasm from me."

"You'll be fine if I have anything to say about it," I said with a determined voice and a fist. "I'm a spy, and I _always_ complete my missions, this being one of them."

"But how are we even gonna get in though?" she asked. "We don't have tickets. I bet they're sold out. And the money we'd need for them-"

"I told you, we don't _need_ the tickets. I can sneak us in easy."

"And how do you propose we do that?" she said doubtully with crossed arms.

"I don't know but I'll tell you once I find out," I said, making her give me a look. "Ember, I sneaked into an all boys school, I sneaked out of the country, I sneaked into hidden bases, I don't think sneaking into a concert will be much of a problem."

"You better be right about this," Ember glared.

The bus stopped and we got out. It was night now. We've been traveling for a while, as hard as it was to believe. You would have thought it'd only take an hour after school to get here. Well, having the opportunity to 'run away', we did a lot of crazy stuff, like blowing up 100 balloons then letting them all go, teepeeing a tree with 28 different colored streamers, a lot of fun stuff.

"Man, I've never seen security look so... scary," Ember said as we hid behind a tree. In front of the building were these body guards. And boy was Ember right when she said scary. "How are we gonna get in?"

"This is too easy. We sneak in the classic way, air ducks," I said, taking out lip stick.

Ember arched her eyebrows. "What's the lipstick for?"

"It's a G.R.A.Y laser," I said, making Ember scoot away a bit and making me laugh. After sneaking to the other side of the building and crawling through the air ducts, I put on my G.R.A.Y glasses.

"How do you know where we're going?" Ember whispered as we crawled.

"My sun glasses are one of my gadgets. It's like using X-ray vision," I said, keeping my head down to see the rooms.

"Amazing," she said with a smile.

"Alright, we made it to the guys' dressing room!" I whispered loudly with a smile looking back at Ember then back down. "Oh geez," I said, turning my head away with a face.

"What is it?"

"They're changing," I said, immediately taking my glasses off. Ember and I shuddered at the thought of me almost catching the guys naked. Suddenly we heard rumbling, feeling the air duct giving in. And in no time it broke, us falling down. We screamed and fell thud onto the floor, Jason, Shane, and Nate's eyes on us.

"I know the fans are crazy but this is kinda freaking me out," Nate said with an odd face.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked, helping us up.

"We're good," I said, shaking my head to get the feeling of thinking back. I looked at Ember and saw her as still as a statue.

"Is your friend star stuck or something?" Nate asked rudely as Shane tried to snap his fingers by Ember's face.

I glared at Nate. "No, we feel just peachy after falling down an air duct."

"Like it's my fault you're crazy about us," Nate said with a cocky smile. Man Ember's right. They are jerks. Well, at least Nate is, so far.

"You alright?" Shane asked, helping Ember stand.

"I-I'm fine," Ember said, getting out of Shane's touch and blushing. So even in this dimension Ember likes Shane. "I'm surprised you guys don't even recognize us."

Shane looked at her intensely then his eyes widened, recognizing Ember. "Oh my gosh security!!-"

I tackled Shane's back and covered his mouth as we fell. "Shut up, shut up!" I whispered harshly, covering Joe's muffled screams.

"Ember Ashley what are you two doing here?" Jason asked angry sounding.

"Her idea," Ember said pointing her arm immediety at me.

"Yeah, give me all the hard work," I said sarcastically.

"You said you're a spy. I just wanted to stay home!"

Suddenly I heard static coming from my watch. I almost forgot I had it. "A.. are... ie... re... sh..."

I looked at my watch. "Hello? It's Ash here."

"You communicate with your watch?" Ember asked in disbelief. "Geez what other gadgets do you have on you woman?"

"My earrings," I answered, pressing buttons on my watch, only for Ember to drop her mouth.

"Hello? You're still on my spine," Shane chocked out, making me jump back up.

"Sorry! Sorry!" I apologized with a panicked face, trying to help Shane up.

"Ash being nice?" Nate asked Jason.

"I know, weird," Jason said.

"I heard that!" I shouted with a shaking fist, making Nate, Jason, and Ember wince. And I think I dropped Shane in the process.

"Hey guys, one hour till the concert starts," a guy said at the door before closing it again.

Nate sighed. "Look, we won't call security, just tell us what you're both doing here."

"Ash... up.... swe....full," said the static voice from my watch.

I banged my wrist on the wall a few times. "Yes? Hello?," I said aggrivated.

"Ash where are you?!" Ember's voice shouted from the watch, finally clear. The guys looked at Ember than at me.

"That me?" the Ember here asked.

"Guys, that you?" I asked closely to my watch, trying not to loose contact.

"Ash where are you?" Jason asked slowly.

"Some other dimension," I answered. "I think."

"Ash be careful!" Shane panicked from inside the watch.

I took my watch away from my ear for a minute from Shane's sudden shout. "Ash," Nate's worried voice said. "Ash listen to me. Demetri went through the vortex and he's after you."

"Who went through the what after where now?" I asked. "Nate, Nate come in." I only heard more static. "Ugh, just when I get here, the bad guy has to come."

"Was that us?" Nate asked confusingly.

I rolled my eyes. "Ember, stall these guys here for a while. I need to go around and capture a criminal," I said shaking my head.

"Uh, will do," Ember replied unsure.

"Wait," Jason said, grabbing my wrist. "You can't just wander around here like you're an authority, Ash."

"Jason, I'd show you I _do _have authority if I had my spy badge but I can't because I never bring it with me." I turned around. "Ember you explain my story while I go get Mr-send-little-girls-to-other-dimensions and deck him. Later!"

And with that I ran out the room, the guys looking at Ember for an explanation. She laughed nervously, holding the back of her neck. "S-So, uh, you guys like long stories?"

I sneaked through the shadows, looking for Demetri. _'He's gotta be around here somewhere.'_ I entered an empty hallway. "It's quiet..... Too quiet."

"You know just where to find me don't you," Demetri said, appearing behind me. I tried to punch him but he dodged. "Let's face it, Ashley. You're alone here, in this dimension."

"Take me back home," I demanded, running at him and attempting a mid-air kick, but he only dodged again.

"You'd need this," Demetri said, throwing a weird looking box in the air and catching it, over and over. That was what he used to create the vortexes. "Too bad you don't have one."

"Give it!" I shot at him again, but he kept dodging. But then he kicked me in the stomach, making me fly into the wall, my back sliding down it as I groaned.

"Tsk tsk tsk, so unlady-like, Ashley. You should have said please," he said, tossing the box up and down again taunting me. But out of no where while the box was up, someone caught up and landed in front of me.

I looked up, seeing Nate. "So un-gentleman-like. You know you shouldn't fight girls."

"Nate are you stupid? Get out of here," I said, standing up and trying to get the feeling back in my legs.

"I'm not leaving you alone to fight this guy in your condition," he said, tossing me the box. He rolled up his sleeved and faced Demetri. "Alright, get over here and fi-"

"Fight? Ha, you're even more pathetic here when you're not a spy," Demetri said walking towards us.

I glared and walked up, holding out the box above the ground, ready to drop it. "Don't you dare make another step," I said with full authority in my voice. Demitri froze, seeing the seriousness in my eyes. "I'll drop the box."

"You stupid girl, you'll trap us both here," he said, sweat going down the side of his head. "You wouldn't."

I smirked. "You're talking to Ashley Drame. I would." I let go of it and Demetri jumped for it. Last minute I caught the box and pressed a button. I opened up a vortex and he jumped into it. He screamed until the vortex closed and I smiled. "Mission complete." I turned to Nate and chuckled. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Uh... something like that," he said, catching his breath. "I-I guess you really are a spy."

"So, you know who I am," I said, knowing Ember explained everything about me being from a different dimension.

"Oh yeah," Nate nodded.

I looked at the box in my hands. "I guess I better get back home now."

"Wait," Nate said quickly. "Um, can you stay a bit longer?"

I smiled, grabbing his wrist and started running, making him blush. "Alright, for you. Come on, let's get back to your dressing room. I might cause Ember another panic attack."

--

I was sitting in a couch. Jason, Shane, and Ember were catching up, and quite well actually. I guess they really aren't jerks, as Ember says. It was just some childish fight according to them. I saw Nate sitting down on another couch and walked over to him. "You look bored."

He looked up. "I'm just thinking about some stuff, writing a song."

I noticed a notepad on his lap. I overlooked the words. "Nice song. Where'd you get the inspiration?"

Nate blushed. "Um, someone."

I nodded slowly. "Okay, I won't ask.... But what are you thinking about?

"Ash," he answered.. I knew he was talking about this dimension's Ash. "I haven't seen her in years. She might not be as nice as you."

I laughed. "Well, she's Ash so I'm sure she's not that bad.... I hope she's not." We both laughed. "You're not as jerkish as Ember claimed you were."

"Nah, I am a jerk. I go out with a bunch of girls just to make out with them," Nick said, shaking his head.

I noticed his eyes. "You don't look very happy."

"I'm not," he said, looking at me. "Truth is, when Ash and I had that fight before my brothers and I left for L.A, she said she hated me and I guess that pretty much ended our friendship. And to get over it, I guess I.... did what I did."

I nodded. "And then you grew up with what you did."

"Yeah," Nate nodded. "I don't really like Adriana. I only admitted to those fake rumors because I thought it'd take my mind off Ash when I came here to Wyckoff."

"You like Ash," I said in realization.

"Yeah," he admitted, looking at his song. "I wrote this song about her. All these years I've been wondering if I had a crush on her. Now I know I do but I'm afraid to confront her about it."

I smiled and placed a hand on Nate's shoulder. "Confront Ash, tell her, me, ah you get what I'm saying." We laughed again at how confusing it sounded. "And either way you'll work it out. I know it."

"How do you know?"

I gave him a look. "Hello? I _am _Ash. If you can tell me who you like, it shouldn't be that hard telling the other me the same thing."

"I guess," Nate said unenthusiastically. "About your dimension... What are we like? You say we're all one big group of normal teenagers."

"Not exactly normal."

"Yeah but we're not rock stars. Anything not including music seems normal to me."

I laughed. "It's pretty great I guess. Being famous seems a lot more exciting though."

"No, it's hard. We sing every night, we can never over sleep, always being watched. It's be nice to have a vacation sometimes, even if we'd have to go catch some criminal and save the world." I laughed at him. "I'm not jerkish in that other universe am I?"

"Nah, you're a good guy. My best friend actually."

"Us? Still best friends? Wow."

"Alright guys, you're on in five," said another guy at the door before leaving.

"Well, I guess we better get going," I said.

"Before the concert?" Nate asked as Jason, Shane, and Ember left.

I smiled. "Well, I can see you guys play any time in my dimension. And besides, don't you want _your_ Ash seeing you play?"

He blushed. "Right."

I pressed the button on my box and a vortex appeared. "Remember, confront and tell otherwise I'ma come all the way back here and slap you upside your curly head."

Nate laughed at my threat. "I will. Oh, one more thing."

He went through one of his bags and pulled out something. He gave it to me, a black and white cat ear hat with a music note eating hanging from the left ear. "What's this?"

"A cat ear hat."

I laughed. "I know what it is, Nate. I mean, what's it for?"

"I know Ash liked cat ear hats as a kid, so I kept one with me all these years in case I ever ran into her again. I think you should have it through, to keep as a souvenir."

I smilled, taking the hat. "Thanks. I wear them all the time. I felt weird all day without something covering my head," I said, putting it on.

"Keep it to remember me by. Have a safe trip back Ash."

I saluted and jumped in through the vortex, Nate waving goodbye. I felt myself flying, my eyes closing.

--

"Ash where are you?" Jason asked slowly in Nate's watch.

"Some other dimension," my voice answered through some static. "I think."

"Ash be careful!" Shane panicked, grabbing Nate's wrist and almost making him fall over.

"Ash," Nate's worried voice said as he yanked his hand back. "Ash listen to me. Demetri went through the vortex and he's after you." He heard more static. "Ash? Ash?"

"Great, we lost her again," Jason said.

All of a sudden a vortex opened up, and Demetri fell right through and onto the floor.

"Didn't he just leave ten seconds ago?" Ember asked.

Then another vortex opened and I fell through, landing on Demetri.

"Ash!" Nick shouted, running over to help me. "Ash? Ash wake up!"

I groaned, reopening my eyes. "Nate?"

He smiled, holding my shoulders. "Ash thank heaven's you're alright."

I hugged him. "I'm glad I'm back home. Don't ever become rock stars alright?"

Nate made an odd face but smiled, hugging me back. "Whatever you say."

"Hey Ash," Shane said, walking over. "Weren't you wearing a different colored cat ear hat before?"

I looked up, seeing my black and white cat ear hat with the music note ear ring hanging lose. "Just, a little souvenir I got when traveling through another dimension."

Ember laughed. "Wow, you're gone for two minutes and you look like you just learned some life lesson."

"I did: don't become famous," I laughed, Nate helping me stand up and picking up Demetri's box. "Well, I captured Demetri, got his demention-traveling thing, _now_ our day's complete."

--

"Hello?" I asked, peeking my head into the Gray basement. I saw Nate sitting on a stool with a guitar.

Nate looked up. "Ash, I didn't know you were here."

"Of course you wouldn't. You're in a soundproof gym," I said, sliding down the stair banister. "What are you doing all alone in here?"

"Working on a song," Nate said.

"Need some help?" I asked, pulling up a chair. He showed me the paper with the lyrics. And surprisingly the lyrics were the same from the one Nate showed me in that other dimension.

"I know it's not that good," Nate said. "Just came out of my head last night and I decided to work on it before I forgot it."

"I see," I said, handing him back the sheet. "Who's it about?" I interrogated.

"No one," he said cooly, hiding it very well like it really were about no one. But I knew that was a lie, and I could see his blush.

I grinned. "Yes someone. It's about someone you like!"

_'You,'_ Nate thought. "No! I just ... had this weird dream... about a girl that I never met before... and liked."

I smiled and chuckled. "Play it for me."

"Alright. Don't laugh," he said, positioning his fingers on his guitar.

_I hung up, the phone tonight  
Something happened for the first time  
Deep inside it was a rush, what a rush  
'Cause the possibility, that you would ever  
feel the same way about me  
It's just too much, just too much_

_Why do I keep running, from the truth  
All I ever think, about is you  
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized, and I just got to know_

_..._

_Do you ever think, when you're all alone  
All that we can be, where this can go  
Am I crazy, or falling in love  
Is it really just another crush  
Do you catch a breath, when I look at you  
Are you holding back, like the way you do  
'Cause I'm trying, trying, to walk away  
But I know this crush ain't goin' away  
Goin' away_

_Has it ever crossed, your mind  
When were hangin' spending time girl  
Are we just friends, is there more, is there more  
See it's a chance we've gotta take  
Cause I believe that we can make this into  
Something that will last, last, forever_

_Do you ever think, when you're all alone  
All that we can be, where this can go  
Am I crazy, or falling in love  
Is it really just another crush  
Do you catch a breath, when I look at you  
Are you holding back, like the way you do  
'Cause I'm trying, trying, to walk away  
But I know this crush ain't goin' away  
Goin' away_

_Why do I keep running from the truth  
All I ever think about is you  
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized, and I just got to know_

_Do you ever think, when you're all alone  
All that we can be, where this can go  
Am I crazy, or falling in love  
Is it really just another crush  
Do you catch a breath, when I look at you  
Are you holding back, like the way you do  
'Cause I'm trying, trying, to walk away  
But I know this crush ain't goin' away  
Goin' away_

"... Nate that was amazing." It was nice actually _hearing_ the song instead of just reading it.

"Thanks," Nate said shyly, holding his guitar.

I smiled. "You'll get the girl eventually Nate, whoever she is."

"I hope," Nate mumbled.

"Is it Sharmane?"

"Well... no, someone else."

I fake gasped and started to talk like a girly girl. "Oh my gosh. A love song _not _about Sharmane? Oh, mm, gee."

"That's it, get over here-"

I laughed and ran up the stairs, Nate hot in pursuit. Yup, good to be back in my normal, normal universal dimension. But, I still wonder... was it really because of something G.R.A.Y did that affected my Dad's death?

_

* * *

_

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la, la la," I sang as I got my books from my locker with Nate. "Can you believe Christmas is almost here?"_

_--_

_"That William guy is supposed to be in our G.R.A.Y prison!" Shane shouted slowly, exaggerating every word._

_I lifted my eyebrow. "So what's he doing at school?"_

_"That's what we're trying to figure out!" Shane panicked, until Ember slapped him upside the head._

_--_

_"As you know, tomorrow is going to be Christmas Eve. And with just about every single G.R.A.Y spy on vacation, me and some of the others decided we'd break out and head somewhere, you know, for our Christmas vacation."_

_"William we can't let you do that," Nate objected._

_"Oh come on Nate!" I pleaded as shook his shoulder gently, unknowingly making him blush again. "It's just Christmas Eve. Once their night's over they'll head back to the prison before any other G.R.A.Y spy can catch them! It is, afterall, the holidays."_

_He exhaled, closing his eyes. "I'm gonna be so dead for this."_


	35. SPECIAL: Christmas Breakout Pt1

_t's the holiday season, and Ash is looking forward to a great Christmas with the Grays, a non-spy related Christmas. But when Ash wants the prisoners of the G.R.A.Y prison hold to have a good Christmas too, she comes up with another crazy plan, in which Nate will be dragged into. In a side story, the group has to work on a float for the Christmas Parade and Aiden is decorating the 'greatest' Christmas Tree._

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER 35: SPECIAL-Christmas Breakout Pt1**

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la, la la," I sang as I got my books from my locker with Nate. "Can you believe Christmas is almost here?"

"I know, hard to believe isn't it," Nate said at my happy personality this morning.

"You think the school does anything for Christmas with the students?" I asked, shutting my locker closed.

He thought for a minute. "I don't know. We're only freshman. If the school will be doing anything I don't think we'll be included."

"Oh, you're right. Might be a junior senior thing," I said, seeing Nate's point.

"Nope, wrong," Shane said, walking over with Ember and Jason. "The school's a snore-fest for Christmas."

"Really?" Nate asked. "With so many students I thought that we'd be doing something big."

Jason shook his head. "Just some really bad play with really bad acting."

Ember made a small smile. "Well, it can't be that bad."

"It is," Jason and Shane said, making me, Nate, and Ember give them strange looks.

"Oh well. Better get home now," Shane said.

As we all walked down the hallway and to the gym for P.E. Surprisingly, we heard a lot of noise from inside. Nate and I exchanged confused glanes before entering. Inside the gym was a bunch of students surrounding a table with some clipboards. And three people there, I never thought I'd see.

"Hey, is that Principal Koel and Ms. Autumn?" Jason asked, trying to see through the crowd.

Nate squinted his eyes. "And.... is that Ash's mom?"

"Is who my what now?" I said with a face. We walked up to the table and got a clearer view of everything.

"Oh, hello Ashley," Principal Koel greeted with a smile.

I smiled back. "Hi. Um, are these sign up sheets for?"

"I think your mother can explain this," Ms. Autumn said to me with the same look in her eye. Yup, still hates our group.

Mom smiled. "You know how each Christmas you and I always travel to your grandparent's place?"

I nodded, remembering the yearly trip. "What about it?"

"Well you remember the parades don't you? The one that your grandparents' are in charge of each Christmas?"

Nate made a confused face. "Parades?"

I grinned. "Oh yeah! I remember those! Gosh there were so many floats and performers. It was so amazing!"

Mom nodded. "But since your grandparents are in retirement now, all the performers are coming here this year to Wyckoff."

My eyebrows rose. "All the who are what to where now?"

Principal Koel. "You have an amusing daughter, Ms. Drame."

Mom nodded. "Thank you. Anyway, since I'll be in charge of everything, I thought that Wyckoff should be part of the parade as well. And where better to find great talent than here at your high school?"

"So everyone here is signing up for participation in the parade?" Ember asked, looking through all the papers filled with signatures of students.

Principal Koel nodded. "Yes. With Ms. Autumn in charge of the school's float."

Nate's and my eyes widened. "What?"

Ms. Autumn smirked. "This way I can keep all the trouble making students grounded, the those students being you five."

"Told you she hates us," I whispered to Mom, making her chuckle and roll her eyes.

"Would you guys like to sign up as well?" Principal Koel asked, handing Shane a pen and clipboard.

"You bet," Shane said, signing his name. "Finally something interesting this Christmas."

Jason smiled. "With this many students, makes me wonder how we're all gonna manage being in _one_ act in the parade."

I nodded sternly. "Jason's absolutely right, Principal Koel. Don't you think we're all gonna be a bit too much for Ms. Autumn to handle?" I asked, trying to get Ms. Autumn out of the picture. Knowing her, she'd just let us ride a cardboard box on a red wagon for the parade.

Principal Koel pondered. "Hm, you do have a point, Ashely."

"She does?" Ms. Autumn asked in surprise.

"She does?" Mom repeated.

Shane caught onto my idea and rushed up, hanging his arm over my shoulders. "Yeah! Ash is totally right! We need a much more suitable supervisor."

Principal Koel shook his head. "No no. Ms. Autum is definitly supervising since I won't be able to do so. But, I suppose you should have another supervisor. And I know the perfect person."

I grinned. "Who?"

"William!" Principal Koel called. And behind another door came a man in a button down shirt and jeans.

"Yes?" the stranger asked.

"Would you mind helping supervise our school's Christmas activity with Ms. Autumn?

"Sure no prob," William agreed, placing an oil stained towel over his shoulder. He looked at us. Nate and I noticed William, Shane, and Jason looking at eachother.

__

'Eh?

"A-Are there any more suitable supervisors?" Shane asked nervously.

Principal Koel laughed. "I'll be in my office."

"And we'll be gone," Jason said in a rush as he and Sane dragged me, Nate, and Ember out the gym, practically running.

"Hey let go!" Ember shouted, being draged by Shane. Jason had Nate and me.

"Not till we get one-million feet away from the school!" Shane exaggerated, us stopping in their fire house living room.

I slapped Jason's arm and he let Nate and me go. And I slapped Shane's arm who let go of Ember. Then somehow I got into this hand slap fight with Shane until Nate broke us up.

"Ok!" Nate shouted, getting everyone quiet. "Now, Shane, Jason, what was that all about?"

"That William guy is supposed to be in our G.R.A.Y prison!" Shane shouted slowly, exaggerating every word.

I lifted my eyebrow. "So what's he doing at school?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out!" Shane panicked, until Ember slapped him upside the head.

"Jeez, quit panicking. The man doesn't look that bad," she said with a slight glare at Shane.

"How come Ash and I don't know him?" Nate asked.

"We caught him from when it was just me and Shane as a spy squad," Jason explained. "Maybe he was let out some time ago. And by the looks of things, he might have recognized me and Shane."

"He might want revenge," Shane groaned, holding his head.

I pouted. "Great, the best Christmas ever ruined by an ex-con of G.R.A.Y and the worst teacher that could ever live."

"Like Ember said, he can't be that bad," Nate said. "And all of us will be there to keep an eye on him. We're safe."

"You better be right," Shane glared.

"Welcome back guys," said, walking into the room. "I've got a mission for you-"

"What's William doing out-!"

Jason, Ember, Nate, and I covered Shane's mouth. "Shut it."

Mr. Gray blinked. "Speaking of William, I want you guys to keep an eye on him for your mission."

"So you know about him?" Nate asked.

Mr. Gray laughed. "Well duh, I'm supposed to know. We let him out, but I didn't let him know we were keeping an eye on him. And, you guys know about William why?"

"We saw him at school!" Shane shouted, removing our hands.

Mr. Gray made a worried expression. "Did he do anything?"

"Nothing, except he's a supervisor of our school's Christmas float project," Ember said with crossed arms. "Why'd he end up in in G.R.A.Y prison anyway?"

"Something about trying to take over earth with technology or some of that other world domination nonsense," Mr. Gray said with a shake of his head. "Did he see you guys?"

"I think he saw Jason and Shane," I said, my hand on the back of my neck. "Boy will this be weird."

--

I looked out the back door, seeing a giant tree there, as tall as the fire house. And that was _tall_. "Gosh when you said you guys were making the greatest Christmas Tree ever you weren't kidding."

Nate looked out the door with me and his eyes widened. "Wow how'd that get there?"

Aiden ran out from behind the tree, holding a ladder. "Hi Nate, Ash."

"Aiden what are you doing?" I asked with a laugh, looking up to try and see the tree.

"Preparing to make the greatest Christmas Tree ever," Aiden said, settling down the ladder. I noticed a bunch of cardboard boxes around. "Those are the decorations."

My head dropped forward. "All of those are tree decorations?"

"Nah, just _some_ of the decorations. I'm getting more later."

"Ok...?" Nate said unsurely. "Christmas is coming soon though. Will you be able to finish this in time?"

"Sure I'm sure. I got Jason, Shane, and Ember helping me later," Aiden said, opening a few of the boxes. "What about you two?"

"I think I'll pass," Nate said, looking up. "How you even get a tree this big?"

"No further questions," Aiden said, walking back inside. Nate and I looked at eachother with the same face. Ok...

--

We were at school now in the gym, discussing what we would be doing for the parade.

"Now," Ms. Autumn said into the microphone. "We all know we will have a float, band, and dancers. Now, we have sign up sheets at the table for which category you want to work into. Ms. Drame will be in charge of dancing, William will be in charge of the float, and I will, of course, be in charge of band," she said proudly, making Nate and I look at eachother. "Now go on."

"Well, now what?" Ember asked as we gathered into our usual group.

"Well obviously Shane and I can't go into William's group," Jason said.

"Yeah. I think Jason and I will join Dance with your Mom," Shane nodded. "You and Nate can handle him."

I made a face. "Weren't you just panicking about this William guy yesterday?"

"I said you and Nate can handle him," Shane gritted through his teeth with a scary face, scaring me and Nate a little.

"You'll join us right Ember?" Jason said in the same manner.

Ember looked at the two Grays in confusement then caught onto their plan. "Ohhh, right! Yeah of course I'll join Dance with you guys!"

"So, um, we'll go, over there, um, sign the sheets," Shane said walking backwards before running with Ember and Jason.

Nate starred in their direction. "That was weird."

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Come on, we better sign up too."

We walked over to the table to sign up. And there we saw a bunch of girls, all probably joining the Float's group because they liked William. After they gone, Nate signed, then handed the clipboard and pen to me. Before I could sign my name, Sharmane took the pen. "Hey."

"Move it Ashley, you're holding up the line," Sharmane said, grabbing the clipboard too.

"There is no line," I said back. Even durring the Christmas Season she's a mean person.

"Well, you're holding up me," she said rudely, dropping the pen and clipboard onto the table as I glared at her. But of course Nate was dazing at her. Again I have no idea how it's even possibe.

"Hello," William said, catching my attention. "Are you joining my group? I'll sign your name for you."

I smiled at his politeness. "Yeah. Ash Drame."

"Drame?" he repeated, writing my name on the clipboard. "Daughter?"

"Yeah, she's my mom," I said, looking at the dancers gathered across the gym.

While Mom's and Ms. Autumn's groups walked out of the gym for different classrooms, our group stayed here in the gym. Nate and I stayed together like the best friends we were, not to get lost.

"So," William said, getting all our attention from the stage. "Now, first priority, we'll be making a float, obviously. But, we need a theme for it. Any suggestions?"

"What about a Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus theme?" shouted out one of the girls.

"Yeah! One person can be Santa Claus and the other Mrs. Claus!" yelled out another girl.

William smiled. "Good suggestion. And, I think I know who to pick to be Santa Claus."

"You?!" shouted another fagirl.

William laughed nervously. "Um, thank you, but no." That got everyone whispering. "One obvious hint, he's the only guy in here besides me."

Almost automatically, all eyes went to Nate, who looked around confused. "Who me?"

I chuckled with my arms crossed. "Well aren't you a quick thinker."

"No, it's that I just realised I'm the only guy here."

"I volunteer to be Mrs. Clause!" Sharmane shouted raising her arm with a huge grin. I glared at her with daggers in my eyes.

William smiled apolegetically. "Sorry but I have already chosen someone to be Mrs. Clause. Ash?"

Again, all eyes went to one person, me. "... Who me?"

Nate laughed. "Yeah, quick thinking."

--

"So tomorrow after school we'll bring in our materials to build the float. Then we can move onto more important things. Goodbye everyone, good job today," William said as all the girls quickly left. And again, Nate and I were the only normal slow moving people.

"I can not believe I have to be Santa for the float," Nate said in disbelief as we walked to the bleachers.

I gave a hopeful smile. "Oh come on. Can't be that bad. I mean, I think you're perfect for the job!"

He looked at me. "What resemblance do I have to Santa Claus? Do you see me with a white beard?"

I starred at him. "Not yet. But you have similar names. Saint Nick, Nate, what's the difference?"

We laughed and grabbed our bags and jackets from the bleachers. Meanwhile, William walked over to us. "Hello Ash, Nate."

I looked back up from my bag. "Oh, hi William. Uh, is something the matter?"

"You two G.R.A.Y agents?"

Nate and I starred at William with wide eyes. We so did not see that coming. Immediately, Nate went in front of me protectively. "Why do you ask? And don't you dare try anything while we're-"

"Calm down calm down," he said with his hand his picket as his other hand went through his blonde hair. "Man, even now all G.R.A.Y agents are so tense."

"Wait," I said, coming out from behind Nate. "You aren't gonna try and kill us or anything a usual bad guy would do?"

William laughed. "No, no I'm not. So Nate you don't have to act all overprotective for your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Nate said almost automatically while blushing with a serious face. Of course I couldn't see it since I was behind him.

William nodded. "Oh. Ok. That was the only reason I made you two Santa and the Mrs."

"So we don't have to be them anymore?" I asked with a smile.

"No you two are still them," he answered, making Nate and me frown. "But you two know about me right?"

"Yeah, my brothers wouldn't stop warning us about you all night," Nate said. "You don't seem all that dangerous."

"That's because I'm not," William said, packing his papers into his suitcase. "I may be a genius, but I'm not dangerous."

"You're a genius?" I asked curiously, zipping up my jacket.

He nodded. "Yes. Why do you think I agreed to be the supervisor for the float group. I'm probably the only one who knows how to get it moving."

Nate looked at William. "Out of curiosity, how _did_ you end up in our jail? You seem too nice to be a bad guy."

He smiled at us. "I'll explain another time. We'll have more time to talk. I have to get home now." He put on his jacket. "It was nice meeting you two," he said, shaking our hands.

"Bye," Nate and I said as he walked out of the gym.

"Why can't the world have more evil villains like that?" I asked, making Nate laugh, us walking out of the gym too.


	36. SPECIAL: Christmas Breakout Pt2

_It's the holiday season, and Ash is looking forward to a great Christmas with the Grays, a non-spy related Christmas. But when Ash wants the prisoners of the G.R.A.Y prison hold to have a good Christmas too, she comes up with another crazy plan, in which Nate will be dragged into. In a side story, the group has to work on a float for the Christmas Parade and Aiden is decorating the 'greatest' Christmas Tree._

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER 36: SPECIAL-Christmas Breakout Pt2**

"Welcome back Ash," Mom said from the top of the stairs.

Nate and I looked up. "Mom you're home?"

"Well duh. My meeting ended half an hour ago," Mom laughed, catching Nate and I by surprise. "I think your group was the last to leave."

"I blame those girls who fought over position of Mrs. Claus," I said, taking off my jacket.

Nate smirked. "Can you blame them?"

"Getting cocky," I said in a singing voice.

Mom narrowed her eyes as she leaned on the stair banister. "_Mrs. Clause_?"

I laughed. "You wouldn't believe it. Since Nate is the only male in the whole group, he was automatically givin position of being Santa Clause for the float."

"And who's Mrs. Clause?" I raised my hand unenthusiastically the same time ate pointed at me. "Mm, surprise surprise," she said sarcastically.

I glared at her. "Hey."

"Hey Nate!" said a greeting voice from the top of the stairs. I saw a girl sticking her head out. I recognized her as his's cousin, Vivian.

Nate's eyes widened. "Viv?"

My eyes widened as I looked at Nate, then at the woman's head. "Viv? As in Vivian Gray?"

She gave me a look. "Little Ash?"

I smiled. "That's me."

She raised her eyebrows. "Sure aren't little anymore! Look at you you're all tall and you've got all your girl body parts-"

"Ok ok don't need to hear that part," Nate interrupted, making me laugh. "The last thing I want to think about right now are things only girls have."

Viv scoffed. "Boy will you be surprised."

Nate made a face. "What do you mean?"

She stepped out, revealing, well... she looked pregnant.

"Whoa," Nate and I said at the same time.

Vivian smiled. "Yup, I'm pregnant with a baby girl. Due this month. I decided to come by for Christmas with the men of the Gray Family, seeing my man is off with some other woman."

"I'm so sorry," I said. I didnt know why I said it. It just felt like I was supposed to.

"Nah, I could tell he was cheating the minute I found that bra in the car."

"Again, I'm a guy. I don't want to hear these girl things," Nate said, shaking his head and keeping his eyes to the ground awkwardly. It was kinda funny actually.

Vivian laughed. "Wow, I never thought I'd see a guy say be quiet to the word bra. As expected of my little cousin. There should be more decent guys like you."

"Yeah, decent is definitely the choice word for Nate," I said with sarcasm.

Mom shook her head laughing. "I'll be out guys, do some grocery shopping for tonight's dinner. Can you two take care of Vivian for me?"

"Sure nor prob," I said as Mom walked out of the house with her car keys. I went to helped Vivian down the stairs as Nate cleared the couch of our jackets and school bags. "No offence but, why you here in my house?"

She laughed. "I expected someone to ask that eventually. I did come to Wyckoff to visit my family. Didn't mean I was gonna stay with them."

Nate helped her sit down. "You're staying with Ash?"

Vivian nodded. "Yeah. I can't trust you guys with a pregnant woman."

"True that," I said, making Nate glare.

"Anyway, auntie said it was ok," Vivian said, auntie meaning my Mom. As a kid, Vivian called my mom auntie. She was a pretty straight forward girl. And still is.

"So, how's life of being spies?" she asked.

"Weird," Nate replied, sitting down on the couch too. "At least when Ash joined it started being weird."

"Who said weird's bad?" I said clueless sounding.

Vivian looked at me. "You're a spy now? Last time I checked you were just the cat-eared cover up at school for these guys."

I grinned, tipping my hat. "Well I'm a spy now. And I love every part of it. Well, except all the insane parts."

Vivian laughed. "I won't ask. So, what are you two doing for Christmas? Any schemes or plans? Shane nd Jason doing any college preparation work?"

"Nah, we're participating in this Christmas parade thing," Nate told.

"And we're on this mission that we have to keep an eye on this guy who got out of the G.R.A.Y cellars. He's way too nice though."

"Nice villans? That's new."

I smiled. "Nate why isn't Viv a spy again?"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I've gotta get to work on my homework. I'll be up in your room. You coming?"

"Nah, I'll stay here with Viv."

"Alright," he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder then grabbing my bag.

"Y-You don't have to bring my bag!" I called as he went up my stairs.

"Too late," Nate said, disappearing upstairs.

Vivian smiled, turning back to me. "I see I'm not the only one having man troubles."

I looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Ash, you're 15 now right?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah..."

"Then I think it's safe to say... Nate wants you so bad."

"Hey Nate wait up! Wanna do some math homework together?!" I called, going up the stairs in a hurried pace. Vivian chuckled to herself.

--

During the course of the week, Nate and I were doing good in our group with the float. And with William and Nate being the only guys, they were the mechanics, much to every girl's amusement here. Yeah, very amusing seeing my best friend and adult supervisor working under a giant contraption with their feet sticking out.

"Hi Ash," Nate said, coming over to me at the bleachers.

I looked up, seeing him in a white shirt with the sleeves riped off, showing his muscles. And there were some black oil spots on him. "Hello.... I'm guessing you had a great time under the float," I said, throwing him a small towel.

Nate laughed, wiping his face with the towel. "We're trying to get it running. Not the easiest job."

"Yeah, but getting all those girls' attention showing off your forearms seems like an easy job." I motioned my finger so he'd turn around. We looked and saw a group of girls watching us from a distance. Creepy much?

"Ok...?" Nate said with a slight scared expression. That only made me laugh. "Anyway, what are you doing over here?"

I looked at the stuff I had. "Making myself useful, making our costumes as Santa and Mrs. Clause."

"Oh yeah," Nate said, remembering that. ".... Wait you can make clothes?"

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "I guess it's another lost hobby of mine. Anyway, better get another shirt on. We've gotta get home now," I said, looking at my watch and seeing it was time to go. I just noticed everyone had already left except for us. We packed up our stuff and William came over, like he always would once everyone left.

"Hello Nate, Ash."

"Hi William," I said.

"Say," Nate said, pulling a clean shirt over his dirty one. "You never told us about how you got involved with G.R.A.Y."

William smiled. "Can't get by you, can I Nate. I was trying to avoid that subject."

"Why?" I asked, putting on my jacket.

"See, I _am_ a criminal, but I escaped for a reason."

"That reason being?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

William looked around, making sure it was just the three of us. "I'll tell you, but you've got to promise not to tell your father."

Nate narrowed his eyes. "That depends-"

"We won't," I said with a grin, elbowing Nate. "Tell me tell me tell me!"

William smiled. "As you know, tomorrow is going to be Christmas Eve. And with just about every single G.R.A.Y spy on vacation, me and some of the others decided we'd break out and head somewhere, you know, for our Christmas vacation."

"What?" Nate asked in disbelief.

"So devious, so deceiving, so sneaky, I like it!" I said excitingly.

William laughed at my eagerness. "Remind me again why you're not a bad guy."

Nate shook his head from all this nonsense. "William we can't let you do that."

"Oh come on Nate!" I pleaded as shook his shoulder gently, unknowingly making him blush again. "It's _just _Christmas Eve. Once their night's over they'll head back to the prison before any other G.R.A.Y spy can catch them! It is, afterall, the holidays."

"Yeah but," Nate said before sighing and giving in. "Ok, I agree that even the people at the G.R.A.Y prison should have some Christmas Vacation, but they won't make it out of there. The whole place is guarded."

I smirked. "But they have us now."

"_Us_?" Nate repeated unsure.

My mouth curled into a devious smirk. "Of course, Nate. Unless, you want to sit this out and, let me run away with a bunch of criminals who might want my head just for the sake of doing the right thing even though it's against the rules. Yup, I'll be just fine alone."

He exhaled, closing his eyes. "I'm gonna be so dead for this."

"Yay thank you!" I shouted, hugging nate and surprising him. It took a lot to persuade Nate, a spy that always obeyed the rules, to agree to break out some criminals from a prison for _Christmas_.

William laughed. "You're good kids."

"But," Nate said, pulling apart from my hug. "The two of us can't be the only ones in this. We need an adult."

"For what? Adult supervision?" I asked with a look. "Nate you're crazy."

"Says the girl who wants to go to a prison for Christmas," he said back. "And no, just someone that can handle these guys in case things get out of hand."

--

"When I said adult I meant someone... different," Nate gritted through his teeth as we stood outside a building in the cold.

"Oh come on, she's the only adult that would actually agree to keep this secret," I said to Nate, defending Vivian who was with us.

William chuckled. "And to be honest, she can definitely keep us under control. No way they'd fight a pregnant woman."

Vivian grinned. "Well, I can finally do something exciting after all these months. So, where is this prison anyhow?"

"Right here," William and Nate said, looking at the wall.

I blinked. "... That's a brick wall."

Nate knocked on it and suddenly a huge door opened up in the wall, surprising both me and Vivian. "Whoa."

"Yup," William nodded. "Come on, follow me."

Well, it's Christmas Eve at 6:00PM, and I'm spending my day breaking into and out of a secret government jail. Can't get any more normal than this. After entering the inside part of the building with the brick door falling behind us, darkness closed in around us. I clinged to Nate's arm by instinct for some reason. But when the lights went on, we saw probably the biggest prison hold you'd ever see. But don't look at me because this is the _only_ prison I've ever seen.

"Wow," Vivian said, her eyes wandering around. "Hard to believe all this can be hidden from the public."

"So, how do we get your friends out of here?" I asked William.

"The controls," Nate said, going over to this computer on the wall. It scanned Nick's fingerprint and this keyboard came out. "William type in their cell number and they're out."

"Got it," William said.

I blinked, watching him walk to the keyboard. "That's it? No air-vent crawling? No iron bar melting? No fighting?"

Nate laughed. "Well forgive me for not wanting us to get caught. Besides, it's easier this way."

"Yeah, take the fun out of it," I mumbled while rolling my eyes.

He smiled at my stubbornness until we heard footsteps from the cellars. Nate's and my eyes' slowly went in that direction, suddenly as frozen as the icicles outside. There standing, we saw Tia, the teen pop star who tried to hypnotize guys, Alex, the 12-year old sicko with a doll obsession, Chrono, the time-traveling freak, Demitri, the dimension-traveling freak, Denniell, the cat-like chef, Madame Holtz, the over-feminist who was my first villain, Natsuke, the ninja who kidnapped Nate, and Dean Worths who tried to take advantage of his school.... Why does it have to be all _my _villains?

"Hey, it's that girl spy," Holtz said with crossed arms.

"And Gray too," Chrono added with a glare in his eye.

"Aw, hey Nate," Tia said, walking over to him with a flirteous wink. "Come to visit me?"

"No, and not in a million years," Nate said, pushing her away from him before turning his head towards me. "This is why I didn't want to come."

"So William, you kidnapped these brats?" Natsuke asked, saying the words brats in a sour way.

Demitri walked towards us. "Yeah, I could use a new couple punching bags."

Nate and I backed up until Vivian came in through between us with the same scary face. "Don't you dare lay a finger on these two otherwise I'll run you over like a hamster on a monster truck wheel."

As much as I wished that threat made sense, it sounded intimidating enough, enough to make Demitri stop in his tracks with Vivian's finger pointing right between his eyes. He had that surprised look on his face, along with the rest of the prisoners.

"W-Who's this?" Denniel asked with his nervous French accent.

I smirked. "Meet Nate's cousin, Vivian. She's got a baby."

"Clearly," Alex said, blinking.

William chuckled. "I brought these guys along because they wanted to come. They're the help."

"William," Dean Worths started. "When you said help, I thought you meant.... different people."

"Hey, you guys should be lucky you have us," I said stepping up. "_I _actually have a sense of fairness, enough to actually want everyone to have a good Christmas. Everyone including you guys. And I had to do a lot of convincing to get Nate to agree with me," I said with a laugh. "So you can either spend your Christmas Eve pounding on the two of us, _or _you can have the best Christmas of your life."

"You do know that some of them would actually pick the first choice right?" Nate whispered as I hit his arm to make him shut up.

Tia crossed her arms, glaring at me. "And what do you propose the best Christmas for us is?"

I smirked, putting my hands together. "Nate and I have a pretty good idea."

"We do?" Nate asked giving me a suspicious look

--

"Oh gosh," Nate said, all of us in my house, pretty much trashing the place. "I can not believe you actually let all of these guys throw a party, at your own house.

"Nate Nate Nate, it's all about the gift of giving!" I said with an arm around his shoulder. "It's not like they're taking over the world. I mean look, they're talking, dancing, watching TV, costing me a huge electric bill, but who cares?"

"Awesome party," Alex said, walking up behind me. "Thanks for doing this for us."

"No prob," I said, almost forgetting what this kid tried to do to me and his dolls.

"Hey, there's a mistle toe," Alex said with a sly grin, pointing up. Me, him, and Nate looked upwards, seeing a mistle toe.

I blinked then looked back down at Alex. "Not even in your dreams," I said, pushing him off somewhere.

"How'd that get there?" Nate asked with a small laugh, still looking at the mistle toe.

"Don't know, don't _want _to know," I said, laughing a bit too. "Wanna go over to your place? For some rest or something?"

"Aren't you afraid your house will explode or turn into some big robot?"

I smiled and pushing him out the door, grabbing out coats off from the coat rack. After walking down the block through the night, we saw the top of the Grays' Christmas Tree in the backyard of the fire house. Nate and I went through the gate and into the yard, seeing Jason and Aiden still working on the tree. Shane was sitting on a chair, asleep.

"If this is what it looks like now, I can only imagine what it looks like with the lights all lit up," Nate said, comparing it to the last time we saw the tree.

"Tell me about it," Ember said, walking into the backyard with a blanket. She put it around Shane's shoulders as he snored. "Shane's tired himself out after falling off the ladder a couple times."

I laughed. "Aw, if this isn't Christmas Spirit I don't know what is."

"Yeah. Jason spent some of today with Mysti doing Christmas shopping," Ember explained. "Shane and I stayed here to help Aiden finish the tree, if it's even possible. What have you two been doing?"

"Um..." I said.

"Y-You can say we're currently in the middle of something. Just came by, for a break," Nate covered, unsure if the excuse worked on Ember. But she yawned, so she probably didn't really care at the moment.

"AHHHHHHHH!" shouted a high pitched scream that made a flock of birds fly off from somwhere. Mine's, Nate's, and Ember's heads shot up in all directions.

"W-What was that?" Ember asked with a suspicious.

"That didn't come from your house did it?" Nate whispered.

My cellphone rang, and I picked it up from my pocket, putting it up to my ear. "Hello?" I asked, seeing my cold visible breath.

"Ash?" William's voice asked worryingly. "Where are you?"

"Um, Nate's place. Why?"

"Ahhh!" yelled a woman's voice.

"Ok what was that?" I asked

William said something but was cut off by Tia. "The pregnant woman's going into labor."

My eyes widened as I dropped my phone in the snow, me still frozen in place. "Ash? Ash what happened?" Nate asked, shaking my shoulder.

"Nate, you know any doctors?"

"Uh... Not at the moment?"

"Close enough let's go!" I said, grabbing Nate's hand and dashing off with my other hand holding my cat ear hat on my head.

Ember sighed. "Better be a mistle toe soon for those two."

We ran back to my house. My mom's car was still gone, so that was good. After jumping in through the door, we saw Chrono and Demitri helping Vivian to the couch, who was barely on her feet and was breathing like a goat.

"Oh my gosh what happened?" I asked, rushing over to her.

"We don't know. Her water broke upstairs," William said, trying to calm her down. "What do we do?"

Nate looked at him. "You mean you don't know?"

"No." William answered.

"But you're evil geniuses! Aren't you supposed to know these things?!" Nate panicked.

"We are trained to fight people, not deliver them," Natsuke said.

"Ash you're a girl! Do something!" Alex shouted.

Madame Holtz looked at the little kid. "And what about me and Tia?"

"Like you two can deliver a baby," Alex scoffed, giving Madame Holtz and Tia veins in their foreheads.

I laughed nervously. "Alex thank you for your... flattering compliment but uh, I ain't trained for this either if you know what I mean."

"Ahhh!" Vivian screamed, squeezing William's hand. "In pain here!"

"Viv can't you hold in or something?" Nate asked, making me give him a look. I suppose he was trying to believe we really aren't in this situation. "M-Maybe they're just early contractions or whatever big words that I can't comprehend at the moment."

"No way Nate. I'm having, a baby, now," Vivan said breathing.

"Can't we call a doctor or something?" I asked desperately.

"Ash it's Chirstmas Eve, and we've got about a dozen criminals in your living room! I don't think any doctor would want to deliver a baby here anytime soon!" Nick told me, not helping me one bit. "Ash you have to deliver the baby."

"Who has to what the where now?" I asked.

"Ash come on! You're the only sane person here!"

"What about you?!"

"Do I look sane at the moment?!" He asked grabbing my shoulders.

I sighed. I guess it's time for Nate to panic again. "Alright uh, get towels, water, chairs, pillows, anything useful." Chrono, Demitri, and Worths left to get them. "Natsuke, Denniel, you three will clean the baby. Holtz, Tia, you guys-"

"We're not gonna help with a baby," Tia scoffed. "Ew much?"

I blinked. "... Ok. _Nate _and Iwill deliver the baby. William, Alex, you two coach Vivian."

"How do we do that?" Alex asked confused.

"Do what William's doing now," I said, seeing Vivian squeezing the life out of William's hands, William on his knees already.

"Ash you know what you're doing right?" Nate asked as he got us plastic gloves.

"Not in the slightest," I said. "But we've gotta try. That's what you said."

"Ahhh!" Vivian screamed again, getting another contraction. "Get it out of me!"

I stood in front of Vivian kneeling down beside the coffee table. "Ok Nate, I'll lift her dress, put her legs up, and then I'll get the baby's head, if that's right... is that right?"

"I don't know!" Nate panicked.

"Then get our science textbook in my room!"

"I doubt our textbook shows how to _deliver_ the baby Ash!"

"Ahhh!" Vivian shouted, pushing.

"Whoa," Nate and I said, being the 15 year olds we were.


	37. SPECIAL: Christmas Breakout Pt3

_It's the holiday season, and Ash is looking forward to a great Christmas with the Grays, a non-spy related Christmas. But when Ash wants the prisoners of the G.R.A.Y prison hold to have a good Christmas too, she comes up with another crazy plan, in which Nate will be dragged into. In a side story, the group has to work on a float for the Christmas Parade and Aiden is decorating the 'greatest' Christmas Tree._

* * *

**CHAPTER 37: SPECIAL-Christmas Breakout Pt3**

"Oh my gosh," I said, drinking a glass of water from the kitchen with Nate. "Can you believe what just happened?"

"Yeah," Nate said. "I think I am finally a man after what's happened today."

I scoffed, putting down my drink. "Before or after you fainted?"

"Ha ha," Nate said sarcastically, placing our glasses in the sink.

I leaned against the counter as he started washing them. "I don't think I'll ever want to have a baby if I'll be screaming that much."

"I wouldn't worry about that too much. You won't be getting a baby any time soon," Nate told, kind of agreeing with me in mind. He imagined me giving birth to my a child in the distant future, along with the physical pain that went along with it. The mere thought of that mature image scared Nate to death, but he hid it well. And just as easily as it came to mind, he erased it from his head. "At least I hope you won't."

I laughed and hugged him. "Thanks for helping me. Sorry I dragged you into this crazy mess."

"Nah, it's okay. I can't imagine any other way to spend my Christmas Eve. Something told me it wouldn't be complete without one of your crazy plans," Nate chuckled, hugging me back as he said that. "Now come on, let's go see the baby," he said with a pat on my back.

We walked back into the living room, seeing everyone crowding around the couch. Oh ain't this a sight. A bunch of super villans crowding around a baby born on Christmas. Now that's something you don't see everyday. And there Vivian aid with a little baby wrapped in a little pink blanket.

"Oh my gosh," I said in a little whisper.

Vivian smiled, seeing the two of us. "Well if it isn't the two doctors who helped me deliver my child. Thank you guys."

"Don't mention it," I said, sitting next to her with Nate on the other side. "Really."

Nate laughed. "Yeah. The others would flip if they found out what happened tonight."

Vivian nodded with that bright smile. "Don't worry about that."

"I never imagined our secret Christmas Vacation to go like this, but I'm cool with it," Demitri said, making everyone else agree as we starred at the beautiful baby girl.

"What are you gonna name her?" I asked, smiling.

Vivian though for a minute. "Maybe, Terra, Terra Gray. It's Latin for earth you know. One day my little girl's gonna grow up to be as strong as the earth, just like her wonderful family."

"Terra Gray it is," Natsuke announced with open arms, making everyone clap and congratulate Vivian. I'm surprised the baby hasn't cried yet, with how loud we're being.

"She's beautiful, don't you think?" Vivian asked as she handed her to me to hold. "I think she's got Nate's curly hair."

"She does?" he asked with his head shoting up, a questioning look on his face.

Me and the rest of the others agreed, looking at little Terra's head of brown curly hair as Nate stared with a confused expression. Vivian chuckled. "Want to hold her, Nate?"

"W-What?" he asked surprised. "No way, I might drop her or something."

I laughed and stood up, sitting beside Nate while still carrying Terra in my arms. "Here, this close enough for you?"

"Yeah," Nate said as he scooted over closer to me to see Terra. "Wow, I'm an uncle."

"An uncle with a mistletoe over his head," Vivian said, making us look up. It was that annoying mistle toe. "You know in the right angle, this kinda makes you two look like husband and wife or something. A grown man, a young woman, a new born baby, snuggling."

"No we don't!" Nate and I said instantly, both blushing, until we realised she also said mistle toe. We looked up, seeing the red and green death trap for teenagers right over our heads.

"Oh not again," I muttered with a pout. Before Nate and I could even think about the kissing rule, Terra started crying and I handed her back to Vivian.

"Well, this was a, pleasant Christmas," William said, standing up. "I guess I better drop off everyone back to the prison before we run into anymore more women in labor."

"Good idea," Nate said, getting up. "Ash I'll make sure these guys get there in one piece, and try not to make a run for it. You stay here and clean up."

"Yeah, give me the harder job," I said as they all left the house, Nick last. I laughed and shook my head smiling, starting to clean up the mess from the party.

--

"Wake up! Wake up!" shouted a voice ringing in my ear.

"Ugh," I moaned, squinting open my eyes. After what happened last night and telling a convincing story to Mom, I fell asleep in my sleeping bag quite easily, as did Nate back in his bed last. "Aiden?"

"Wake up! It's Christmas!" Aiden shouted like an excited child. "Ash come on! We're all waiting for you!"

I chuckled. "Aiden I know you're excited but don't you think you should tone it down a little?"

"WHOOO IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Shane shouted as we spotted him running down the hall from our open door.

I smiled and grabbed my cat ear hat, getting out my sleeping bag. After putting on my snow boots and following a running Aiden, we arrived in the backyard, seeing it gently snowing slowly. The ginormous Christmas Tree was actually finished, by some miracle. Not an ornament out of place. And the star was shining brightly at the very top. I think you'd need binoculars to see that thing. Plus there were a bunch of boxes and bags beautifully wrapped under the tree. And everyone was out here in their pajamas. Shane, Jason, Aiden, Ember, Mysti, Mom, Mr. Gray, Vivian and baby Terra, and Nate.

"Whoa," I said with a huge grin on my face. "Now this is what I call a white Christmas."

"I didn't think they'd pull it off either," Nate said walking over to me. "Amazing isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah?" I said, still grinning.

"So who's ready to open presents?" Mom asked excitingly, making me, Shane, and Aiden cheer and yell like five year olds. After Mom and Mr. Gray handed everyone their presents, we got to unwrapping with no hesitation. And believe me, with all of us for each other, there were a lot to give out.

From Jason I got an electric guitar. A Les Paul I think it was called? I wasn't an expert on guitars and on how to play them, let alone know what each one's called, but seeing this beauty only made me want to master the guitar more.

Shane got me something you woulnd't believe! He got me this giant pillow. On on side it said _To Ash, From Shane_. But on the other side was a picture of him, Jason, Nate, and Aiden. Now they'll always be in my room! And gosh this pillow is soft!

Ember got me a beautiful notebook. The design looked amazing. I figured I could use it to write songs, draw sketches, use it as a journal, I don't know. But I was definitely gonna use it.

Mysti got me this cool pajama robe that looked like a kimono. Unusual but I like it! I have no idea how you put it on, but I'll figure it out eventually. Besides, it looks to cool to just leave around somewhere unworn! Wow I sounded like a girly girl that second.

Aiden got me this got me new winter snow boots with a jet pack feature at the bottom. Finally I get jetpack shoes that aren't black and leather! They even had those little pom pom things, haha!

Mr. G got me a new G.R.A.Y watch. Much better than my old one. And a whole lot easier to use. Yay!

Vivian got me a photo album with a bunch of childhood pictures inside of me and Nate. Even back then she paired us together. No wonder there were so many flashes whenever she visited. Too much picture taking.

Mom got me a new school bag, since my old one was getting all tattered up. Whoo, leave it to mom to give me a single colored boring looking bag. Until I looked inside and found a bunch on pin on buttons and paint I could use to decorate the bag, and other things. Haha!

"Hey Nate, where's your present?" I asked him since he was sitting beside me through all this wrapping and tissue paper. We all opened our presents, except my one from Nate.

"I was hoping you'd ask, Ash," Nate said, smiling. "Get dressed first for school, then meet me at the front door."

I made a face, but did as he said. Shane, Jason, and Ember went to their room while I went upstairs to get dressed. Nate was already dressed for some reason. After getting my school bag with my supplies for the parade, I slid down the fire pole. Shane, Jason, and Ember stood at the door. "Hey, where's Nate?"

"Outside, with your present," Jason said smiling with his hands in his pockets. Shane went behind me and covered my eyes with a blindfold.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Yes Ash, now come on," Shane said, opening the door with his foot. I felt the unusual warmness of the sun, but it was still snowing gently. I expected it to be freezing cold like the previous days. I guess today's different, considering it's Christmas. Ember led me down the driveway of the firehouse, holding my writs so I wouldn't get lost. We made a sudden stop and I felt her let go of my hand.

"Guys?" I asked unsure.

"Hold on," Jason said, going behind me and uniting the blindfold. As soon as it dropped, so did my jaw. In front of me, was one of those fancy carriages. It had the sleigh thing, the big round wheels, two white horses. And everything looked so Christmas-sy, And guess who at the front of the carriage holding the reigns.

"Like your present?" Nate asked with a grin.

"Oh my gosh Nate," I said with my hand on the cold red painted metal of the carriage. "You are _really_ something."

"I'll take that as a yes," Nate said, jumping off. As soon as he did, I hugged him.

"Nate thank you so much! But, how did you get all this? _Why'd_ you get all this?"

"Well, remember our 'surprise' guests from last night at your house?" Nate asked, remembering the G.R.A.Y Prisoners. William was still at the school though to help carry out the Christmas Parade for today though. "Well I mentioned I wanted to get you a good Christmas Present, but with our hectic week I couldn't really figure out what you'd like., let alone shop for anything."

"Oh so you could get a present for everyone else in the backyard but couldn't get a present for your best friend?"

Nate chuckled. "Well I wanted your present to be the best. And no way was I shopping for your present at the dollar store."

"So those earrings were from the dollar store?" Ember asked with a look.

I smiled and shook my head, still not believing this. I could even hear the horses neighing. "So how'd you come to the decision to get me a ride in Winter Wonderland?"

"It's a long story," Nate said, taking my hand and leading me to the front of the carriage. He helped me up, then walked around to the other side.

"Where we going?" I asked, putting my bag on the floor.

"School, I'm sure they'll let us leave all this in the parking lot," Nate said, making me laugh. "But _after_ the parade, maybe we can all go around the neighborhood, enjoy your present. You can only have if for one day."

I laughed again and hugging him before Jason, Shane, and Ember climbed in at the back seats of the carriage. Nate used the reigns and the horses pulled us down the street in no time.

--

"I can not believe that the Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause costumes went missing," Nate said as we all got ready for the float outside.

"I can't believe that _all_ the costumes went missing," Jason said.

"How'd they all disappear anyway?" Shane asked.

"I blame Sharmane," Ember said with crossed arms. "I saw the top of a Santa's hat sticking out of her locker when we came here."

I groaned. "Man, now our attraction's ruined."

"Maybe not yet," William said, walking over to us. "Just because the costumes are missing, doesn't mean our pat in the parade will be ruined."

"What do you mean by that?" Nate asked.

"Well from what the others told me at the prison, you guys are pretty good performers. Sing right?"

"Um, we sing," Nate said. "But we don't have any Christmas Songs."

"Yeah we do. You wrote one last night-," Shane said until Nate elbowed him trying to act nonchalant.

"What song?" Ember asked.

Jason smiled. "Nate wrote a song in the middle of the night and woke Shane and me to help make chords for it."

"Alright then you're playing it!" William said before running off to get ready for the parade.

Nate blinked. "What just happened?"

Shane laughed. "Ha ha! We're gonna play that song you wrote for-!"

"Enough from you," Jason said, covering Shane's mouth.

--

By now our float was riding down slowly the streets of Wyckoff. All the dancers were dancing around, the band was playing, leading. And where were we? Jason, Shane, Nate, and I were on the float, with our instruments from the Grays' basement. We were wearing our normal clothes, all wearing Santa hats red and white. Well, except me. I had a red and white cat ear hat instead, hehe. But somehow I'm not surprised by this outcome, playing one of Nate's songs in a parade. Jason and Nate had guitars, and Shane and I had tambourines.

The guys began playing guitar as introduction to the song.

_(NATE)  
This Christmas time there's just one thing I want.  
It top's it all, it's better than eggnog.  
It's cold outside, my boots are full of snow.  
I'm just hoping for some mistle toe_

I placed my hands on the microphone on the stand.

_(ASH)  
You can take these presents, underneath my tree,  
(NATE)  
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me,  
(ASH)  
You can take these boxes, tied up with string  
(NATE)  
'Cause all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams._

The crowd was already cheering much more than I expected. Smiling, I took my microphone off my stand and walked over to Nate, singing my part.

_(ASH)  
Light's are goin' up it's Christmas time,  
But I just want that guy to be mine  
My stocking's full but I'm not satisfied,  
No, No, No, Noooo,  
But I'll just wait until he's by my side, yeah._

_(ASH)  
You can take these presents, underneath my tree,  
(NATE)  
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me,  
(ASH)  
You can take these boxes, tied up with string  
(NATE)  
'Cause all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams._

_(EVERYONE)  
Falalalala, lalalala  
Faaaa la la laaa_

_(ASH)  
You can take these presents, underneath my tree,  
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me  
(NATE)  
I would give it all, just to let you see,  
That all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams_

_(NATE AND ASH)  
You can take these presents, underneath my tree  
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me  
And now that we are here, we both agree  
That I'm the one for you from our dreams_

People in the audience were cheering as me and the guys smiled. While caught up in the moment, I kissed Nate on the cheek.

"W-What was that for?" Nate asked, blushing.

I giggled at his reaction. "We were under the mistle toe before remember?"

"Oh yeah," he stuttered, still blushing. Either way, this was an amazing Christmas. New baby, new adventure, new song, and new question. Nate wrote that song _Girl of my Dreams_. Lately he's been writing a lot of songs about girls. Wonder who though?

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Well why should you care who I like?!" Nate shouted._

_"Because I'm your best friend!" I screamed back. We just glared and turned away. I don't know about you, but, I think Nate and I just got into a fight._

_--_

_"On the monitors the entire country's been having severe snow storms from one state to another."_

_"Isn't that normal since it's winter?" Shane asked clulelessly._

_"Not when it ends up like this," Mr. Gray replied._

_--_

_"You two will stay right here as we look for those other spies."_

_"You can't keep us in here," I rebelled, ignoring Nate behind me._

_"I'll make sure of it. I'll have Fai here keeping guard. And sooner or later, you two won't even be conscious."_


	38. Fine Freeze Pt1

_To start of the new year after the holidays, an unusual disaterous snow storm comes into town, and it is up to Ash, Nate, Jason, and Shane to find the cause of it. But can they with Nate and Ash in a feud. In a side story, they're told to do a project about their crushes from their unusual teacher._

* * *

**CHAPTER 38: Fine Freeze Pt1**

"Ok, I'm bored," Nate said, sitting in his desk as we waited for our teacher who was late for pretty much half the period.

"Let's say 7 random things we like about eachother," I said out of no where.

"... Well that was random," Nate laughed.

I shrugged, tipping my cat ear hat. "Why thank you."

"But why 7?"

"Because there are 7 days in a week," I answered randomly again.

We smiled and faced our chairs to each other, ignoring the shouts of our classmates who were throwing paper airplanes and gossiping. "You first," I said.

"Um... your sense of adventure. It keeps me awake."

"That a compliment or insult?"

"A comsult."

I cocked my eyebrow. "What on earth is a comsult?"

"A mixture of compliment and insult."

I laughed. "And you say I'm random.... Hey wait so it's part insult?"

"Your turn," he said with a smile, not answering my question.

"Um.... your hair. It's sooo bushy."

Nate made a face. "Bushy?"

"Yeah, it feels like a bush without those thorns," I said, my hand on his head before I pulled it away. "Your turn."

"Ok... I like how you're not boy crazy. You're a normal girl... to a certain degree. You."

"Alright.... The way you kiss."

"What?" he asked with a laugh.

"Well I like the way you kiss. Like during that Romeo and Juliet parody where we had to kiss. Unlike most boys who always shoot their tongue down a girl's throat, you just pecked my lips, which is how I oddly prefer kissing."

"So, you like the way, I kiss," he said slowly.

"No! I meant kissing in general!" I laughed out.

"Isn't this supposed to be stuff you like about me?"

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "Ok, your turn Gray."

"Fine," Nate said, now that it was his turn. "Your cat ear hats. They make your look unique."

".... Ok I'll take that," I shrugged, now trying to think of something for Nate. "Your pants. You wear skinny jeans. A lot of guys now a days always wear baggy pants that show their boxers." I shuddered at the end.

He nodded, looking at me for inspiration. "I like your singing voice."

I blushed. "You had to bring that up?"

"Actually yeah," he said with a smile. "You?"

I smiled. "Your eyes. They look soo... I don't know. I just said that because I couldn't think up anything else."

"Wow, you just made my eyes feel insulted," Nate laughed. "Your fighting skills. You're one of the only girls I know who can fight so well."

I pondered for a minute. "I like how you used to hold my hands during the winter when we were little. Every time I got cold you would always take off our gloves and you'd warm my hands."

Nate smiled. "Oh yeah."

"Your turn," I said.

"Um.... how you're an only child**."**

I gave him a look. "Ok why do you like that?"

"Well you don't have any annoying younger siblings to hide your secret from. No older sisters to distract me, Shane, or Jason. No older brothers to hate my guts for being your best friend."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You actually think that if I had older brothers they'd hate you?"

"Of course. Any older brothers is always overprotective of their little sister with guys. Especially of the guy happens to be the girl's best friend."

I blinked from the confusement in my head. "Alright I don't really understand what you just said, let alone want to _know_ what you just said, but I guess I'll be happy I'm an only child too," I laughed.

"You're up."

I nodded. "Our friendship**_._** I mean, we laughed, we cried, we ran for our lives from odd causes of death. Either way I liked all of it."

nate smiled. "Ok, I like our friendship too."

"Hey you copied mine."

"Yeah but it's the truth."

"Whatever" I said, shaking my head.

"Your last one," Nate said, bringing out game to and end.

"I-"

"Sorry I'm late class!" Ms. Carmell said, walking into the room. Everyone went to their desks and assumed normal school mode.

"Still didn't say your last 7th answer," Nate whispered.

"Game over," I said, looking straightforward to the front of the classroom.

Nate rolled his eyes, really wanting to know the last part of what I was gonna say. Oh well. I like to keep him guessing.

"Alright guys! Project!" Ms. Carmell said with a grin, making some of the class groan. Not because of the project, but because of Ms. Carmell's way of saying it. See here, Ms. Carmell is our substitute teacher for Ms. Autumn for a little while. Three days ago during lunch period's food fight I hit Ms. Autumn's head with a pudding cup and made her fall down the stairs. Haha, _very _funny. But, compared to Ms. Sunshine Smiley Face Carmell, I think I'd rather have Ms. Autumn. And that's saying something.

"Oh come on now! We don't need any grouchiness in my classroom," Ms. Carmell said as if we were her kindergarten class. Really. Not that I hate her but she's.... bleh. "Well, I'm sure all of you are _teenagers _already, so I assume you have had at least one _special_ person in your life that you've had feelings of affection for."

"Feelings of what for who now?" I muttered with a raised eyebrow. Nate heard me, since he was right beside me.

Ms. Carmell smiled brightly. "To start of the new year, I want you all to make a special booklet about him or her. Explain what they're like, why you like them. Let your innermost feelings out into this project."

We all starred at her with the same bored/weirded out expressions. Even crickets were silent. I think I even saw a fly go into someone's mouth then out at the corner of my eye.

"I can see you are all excited," she said trying not to squeal. "Once you have your little scrap book done, make a presentation of it. Then create a song, or poem, or play, something to express your current thoughts about this touching subject. Due tomorrow."

"Does this have to be presented publicly?" Shane asked with the same face.

"No speaking, Shane. You raise your hand first," Ms. Carmell lectured.

He sighed heavily then unenthusiastically raised his left arm. "Does this have to be presented publicly." Didn't sound like a question anymore if you asked me.

"Why of course not publicly, silly!" Ms. Carmell answered, making a percentage of the class sigh in relief. "Only to this homeroom!"

That made the relieved feeling fade away like rainclouds ruining a perfectly sunny day. Oh, joy.

The bell rang and everyone raced out of the classroom, even me and the gang. Even though we'd usually be the last slow one who took out time, we defiantly did not want to stay in there.

"I so want Ms. Autumn back from the hospital," Jason said with a bewildered expression.

"I blame Ash," Shane said, making everyone nod.

I held my mouth open, starring at him. "_Me_? _You _were the one who was handing me the amo. If you had just thrown me that salmon instead of a pudding cup I'm sure we could have had a different outcome of this situation."

"Ok ok, stop," Nate said before Shane and me could argue. "If anything we blame both of you."

Shane glared and I hit Nate's shoulder. "So much for being on my side," I scolded.

Ember laughed and rolled her eyes. "Alright, let's get out of here and back home. It's started snowing again and we'll have to shovel it all."

Jason nodded. "Right. Come on I'll drive us."

"I'll walk," I said as we arrived outside the doors of school.

"You sure?" Jason asked. "It's snowing and it's pretty cold out here."

"Yeah Ash, you might slip again," Shane laughed.

I shook my head. "Nah. I need some time to think."

"Guess that means I'll go with you," Nate said, walking up next to me. "If you slip you might need me to carry you again."

I gave him a look with a half smile as the others chuckled at Nate's remark. They took Nate's and my bags to Jason's car as Nate and I took our usual route home.

"Man I love this snow," I said, holding onto my cat ear hat. "And it looks like no one even walked this way so the snow's fresh."

"Of course the snow would be fresh. _No_ one walks anymore. They take a car or bus now."

I smiled. "Well then I guess you and I are the only go-green conscious people here, saving gas and whatnot."

Nate laughed, keeping his hands in his pockets from the cold. "So, about the project."

"Yeah?" I asked, oblivious to his sounding nervous. I was too busy admiring all the fresh looking snow.

"Who are you gonna make your project about?"

That snapped me out of my snow trance as I slowed my walking up until I just stood there. Nate stopped too, looking at me and waiting for my answer. "Actually... I don't know."

"You mean you don't like anyone? At All?"

I smiled at the ground. "I don't know. Not at the moment, I think." I was lying, because there was maybe a chance I had liked Nate? I couldn't confirm that yet, even to myself. "What about you? Choosing Sharmane?"

"Oh yeah," Nate said, remembering her once I brought her up. "Wierd, I actually forgot about her for a second."

I chuckled. "We're doing a project on people we like and you didn't even think about _Sharmane_?"

He blushed. "Well, I guess my head was somewhere else."

"Who?" I asked eagerly, making Nate blush more.

"I'm not telling," he said, continuing walking.

I pouted and walked up faster until I caught up with him. "Come on Nate! I won't tell, I promise!"

"Still not telling," he said. "And how do I know you don't like anymore? Maybe you're just saying you don't know to cover up."

I laughed. "When it comes to people I like I don't lie.... except to the person maybe. I never really imagined the situation." Like now. I'm lying right now. I've imagined the situation plenty of times. I've lied to Nate, so many times. Geez all this makes love seem like a sickness. And I'm showing every possible symptom of it, up until I die of the sickness and float to cupid heaven when shot by a pink and gold heart-tipped arrow.... Oh well.

"I guess," Nate said. "It's strange. We're best friends and we always share everything together. But the one thing we don't share about eachother is who we like."

"So, if you're keeping the secret from me, and I already guessed Sharmane, it's not Sharmane?"

"It's Sharmane!" Nate said quickly.

"No it isn't," I said back."

"Can we just let this go?"

"You were the one who brought up this subject."

"What?"

"You were the one who said _Who are you gonna make your project about?_" I said, mocking him.

"Well why should you care who I like?"

"Because I'm your best friend!" That was only part of the reason, I think. The other part, I had no idea what it was. We just glared and turned away. I don't know about you, but, I think Nate and I just got into a fight... About not telling eachother who we liked..... Stupid project.

--

"I'm back," I said grimly, coming into the house, without Nate. Usually we would still be together doing whatever, but not yet. Throughout the rest of the walk we didn't talk to eachother, or even made eye contact.

"About time," Ember said, walking down the stairs. "I know driving is shorter than walking but you and Nate must have taken your sweet time."

"Believe me, time wasn't fast enough," I said, remembering most of the walk being just awkward silence. It's like whenever you want time to speed up, it's slow. But when you want for time to just freeze, it's goes by quickly. What's up with that?

Ember shook her head. "Whatever. I need you to help me with my project. I need to make it about the guy I like but still want it to seem anonymous."

"So you want it to be about Shane but not let him know it's him. Easy. Just put on the cover 'This Is Now About Shane'. He'll believe it," I said, placing my jacket by the heater to dry.

Ember blushed. "Oh forget it. You can't help me."

She stomped up the stairs as I sat down on the couch. "What _am_ I gonna do for the project?"

--

"I'm here," I said, walking through the door of the fire house. Just moment ago my watch was beeping so I rushed over here. And in the living room I found Jason, Shane, Nate, Aiden, and Mr. Gray.

"Thanks for coming, Ashley," Mr. Gray said as I sat down on the couch, trying to warm myself up. Nate and I glanced at eachother before looking away.

"You ok?" Jason said asked, seeing me shivering.

"Yeah, it's just so cold out there," I said, holding my arms.

"That's sorta what your next mission is about," Mr. Gray said. "On the monitors the entire country's been having severe snow storms from one state to another."

"Isn't that normal since it's winter?" Shane asked clulelessly.

"Not when it ends up like this," Mr. Gray said, pressing the button on his remote and making the flat screen come down. It showed pictures of ruined of cities. It looked like tornado's had hit them, but there was snow everywhere too.

"Oh man," jason said, seeing the slides. "How long has this been going on?"

"Past week," Mr. Gray replied. "Way to long and destructive for it to be natural. Based on our research, this is coming from a traveling source."

"You mean someone is creating the blizzards?" Aiden asked.

Mr. Gray nodded. "Yes. And based the recent weather here, looks like we're next."

Shane's eyes widened. "You mean, this place could end up like-"

"Yeah," Mr. Gray said.

"But where are we supposed to even start?" Nate spoke up. "Is it even safe to be outside?"

"Hm, probably not," Mr. Gray said, pondering.

"We'll continue thins here, Mr. G," I said. "It's getting late anyway, so we might be at a disadvantage if we go out now."

Mr. Gray nodded. "Alright. I've got to go to a meeting right now down at Florida's G.R.A.Y Headquarters for a meeting on the case. Good luck."

We waved him off as he entered the elevator to head to the roof where the jet was.

"I'll go upstairs to the computer, check the criminal files," Nate said. "Might be someone we know who's behind all this. Come on Shane."

"Um, alright," Shane said, following Nate and eyeing him weirdly, wodnering my he sounded angry.

"Ash and I'll go monitor our area from the control room," Jason said.

Aiden watched all of us go to our destination in the house from the couch until we all disappeared. "I'll go make some hot chocolate."

"So," Jason said as he and I entered the secret control room. "What's going on with you and Nate?"

"Should there be something going on?" I asked.

Jason shrugged. "I don't know. But I figured you and Nate would be looking into this mission together like usual. Instead he brought Shane with him."

I shurgged, taking a seat in a rolling chair from the corner. "Nate and I just got into a fight on the way home, that's all."

"A fight that made you two stop talking completely?" Jason asked, turning on the computers.

I looked down. "Yeah."

Jason shook his head. "I don't know about you two, but I'm sure this thing will blow off easily and you'll be back to normal."

"I doubt it," I said, taking a paper and pencil from the table.

He made a half smile. "Alright, I won't pester you about it."

"Thank you," I said, writing on my paper.

"Buit I will pester you about this," Jason continued. "Will you be singing a song for your presentation?"

I starred down at my paper. "Yeah. I don't intend of reading, or acting a play where I'm the only character."

"You writing it now?" Jason said, seeing me deep in concentration.

"Nah, I already have a song prepared," I answered, writing down another line in the song. "This is just a new song I'm using to vent from Nate. This is our first real argument in a while anyway, that jerk." Jason laughed, making me look at him. "What?"

"Sorry sorry, it's just funny how you and Nate are fighting, like it's some kinda joke or something since you two never really argue."

I sighed out. "Yeah...So, what do you think's causing the snow storms?" I asked, to change the subject.

"Could be anything," Jason said. The monitors showed a map of our area of Wyckoff. "Alright, we're here at that red dot. See?"

I nodded from my seat. "Yeah."

"All that light blue is snow."

I narrowed my eyes. "What's the dark blue?"

Kevin furrowed his eyebrows, stumped by my question. "I dunno. Let me check." He clicked on the dark blue color, making a few mini windows open up. Some of charts and scans.

"Well?" I asked, confused by all this.

"What the," Jason said, typing in the keyboard. "That's weird. It's snow too."

"So why's it different color on the monitor?"

"By my guess, that dark blue snow comes from those blizzards," Jason said. "There's something in it that makes it distinct from normal snow. There's a weird compound in it I can't identify."

"English?" I asked.

"That's as English as it can get. It's, evil snow if you wanna call it that. I don't know."

I chuckled. "Evil snow, haha."

He slowly turned his head towards me, making me stop and retrieve my still face. But that silent moment was ruined by a scream, Aiden. Jason and I quickly stood and ran. In the kitchen we saw Aiden with a bewildered look on his face. Nate and Shane arrived too, not without Shane almost slipping.

"Aiden what happened?" Jason asked.

"Look." Aiden said, pointing at the microwave. His mug filled with hot water was frozen solid. The insides of the microwave had some hanging icicles around too.

"Ok...." I said, starring. "Microwaves are supposed to heat things, not the other way around. Right?"

"How'd that happen?" Shane asked.

"That must be the snow with the weird compound in it," Shane explained.

"So what makes it different from normal snow?" Nate asked, looking at us. Out of no where, the snow and ice started growing psychically, like a spreading vine. We began backing up.

"That's what," I said, my eyes wide.

"Run!" Shane shouted, making us run out of the kitchen. At the same time, the ice spread we ran up the stairs as the ice spread around the living room. We ran into Shane's and Jason's room since it was the highest we could go. As we jumped through the door, Shane pressed a light switch, which actually made a bunch of metal doors swing down in front of the door, around the fire pole, and at the windows. It was like ultra security lock down.

"Ok, that's one way to start off the new year," Aiden breathed out, sitting up from the ground.

Jason walked over to his desk and got out this mini computer thing. "This isn't good. All that snow's spreading throughout the house. And not just our house, the entire neighborhood."

"The entire who now?" I repeated. "But how? And so fast?"

"Whatever's doing this is using the pipes and electrical wires to create all this snow and make it spread," Jason explained. "This isn't gonna be good."

"If it's here, whatever's doing this must be close," Nate said, going over to Shane's and Jason's computer. After a minute, I found two green dots on the screen. "There, those two things are what's making everything freeze over."

"So it's two things?" Shane asked.

Nate nodded. "Yeah, and they're headed here to the fire house."

"That's not good," I mumbled, until I heard a crash from above, making us all look up. "I think they're here."

"Alright, plan B," Jason said. "Number one, we get out of this room."

"What?" Shane asked. "Why? Can't we just hide here?"

"Shane what difference will it make? They'll get in here eventually even with metal doors," Jason said. "And if we stay here, we'll freeze ourselves unless we do something about this."

"So what do we do?" Aiden asked.

"We hide you first off," Jason said.

Aiden looked at him. "What why me?"

"Because it's not safe!" Nate, Shane, and Jason said at the same time.

I blinked. "Talk about over protective." A drilling sound ran into the room. We looked up and saw a circle being cut into the ceiling. "Not safe! Not safe!"

We all charged towards the metal door out of the room like life depended on it. Eventually we crashed it all down, being revealed to the cold. Our eyes explored the staircase. It was now like a long ice cave.

"Oh my gosh," Nate said, his voice echoing.

"Guys we better get going, now," I said, standing up from this dog pile.

"But how are we gonna get down?" Jason asked, trying to stand up without slipping on the ice.

I looked down. Seeing we were on a metal door, in a ice cave, I smirked. I pushed my hand against the cold ice wall as we started moving. Eventually we began sliding down the frozen staircase, screaming. Well, I was grinning, on hand at the front of the door, the other holding my cat ear hat on my head. "Whooo! Waaay better than the fire pole!"

"No it is not!" Nate retorted, holding on. Eventually we slid into the living room and hit the end of the room. Everything was covered in ice. _Everything_.

"Ok...." I said. "Now this is creepy."

* * *


	39. Fine Freeze Pt2

_To start of the new year after the holidays, an unusual disastrous snow storm comes into town, and it is up to Ash, Nate, Jason, and Shane to find the cause of it. But can they with Nate and Ash in a feud. In a side story, they're told to do a project about their crushes from their unusual teacher._

* * *

**CHAPTER 39: Fine Freeze Pt2**

"Hey I think they're down here!" said an unfamiliar voice from upstairs.

"Oh geez they're coming," Aiden said.

"Which means you're going," Shane said, grabbing Aiden over his shoulder by surprise. He ran, or skated, over to the closet and broke it open from the small layers of ice at the edge. He threw Aiden inside then slammed the door shut, sliding to the ground.

"Yeah Shane, that'll keep him totally safe," I said sarcastically.

"Well he will!" Shane retorted, until his eyes widened. "Oh my gosh Ember!" He skated, barely by the way, to the front door and opened it, revealing a huge pile of snow up to his neck.

"Wow," Nate said, being the first to speak.

"Shane wait!" Jason shouted as Shane rammed his way out the door through all the snow. "Oh geez. You two stay here and deal with whoever's upstairs. I'll go after Shane and make sure he doesn't get lost in there."

"Jason wait!" Nate and I shouted, but he was already gone, leaving me and Nate alone. We looked at each other then glared, turning away. Hard to believe we could still be mad at each other during a mission. And one as weird as this.

Of course this moment of somewhat-peace was cut short when two people appeared at the end of the stairs, like they were skating. And surprisingly it was two kids, around Aiden's height. Twins maybe? One was a boy in blue, and another a girl in red.

"So, this is what we're up against?" said the boy with a laugh. "Pathetic."

"And just who are you squirts supposed to be?" Nate said back, us still on the ground.

The boy smirked. "Your worst nightmare." He lifted his hand and we saw a blue light forming in it. Our eyes widened as we jumped out of the way. Right where we one sat, it was a small mountain of ice. This boy had ice powers. "We're Ian and Fai."

"How..." I said in amazement, starring at the ice.

"Still think of us as squirts?" the girl spoke up, standing by her twin brother.

"Why are you doing this?" Nate demanded with a glare.

Ian smirked. "To have the entire planet under our control. Duh? I know grown-ups are stupid but you two are like the definition of it."

I glared and lifted my watch, aiming. "You ought to learn how to respect your elders, kid." I shot a laser at his feet, making him jump over the ice.

His eyes short towards me with rage, lifting his hands. Another blue light started forming in it. "I wouldn't be in the position to make remarks like that. Maybe we should keep you frozen, permanently."

Suddenly Ian jumped up, dodging something thrown at him, a frozen couch pillow. I looked, seeing Nate kneeling by the couch with another frozen pillow in his hand. _'Nate.'_

Ian laughed. "Aw, your want to protect her. How sweet."

Nate glared at the boy, ignoring his comment and not letting it phase him. Nate was still angry at me, didn't mean he wanted me dead. Didn't mean he was going to admit it either. "I suggest you bring everything back to normal. Now."

"Um, no," Ian said, lifting both his hands. Suddenly the ice underneath Nate and me began lifting off the ground, catching us by surprise. "If you two are so cold, maybe we should, keep you two heated, right Fai?" He crashed open the door on the wall to the control room throwing us into it. We got our heads up, seeing Ian and Fai there. "You two will stay right here as we look for those other spies."

"You can't keep us in here," I shouted in rebutle.

"I'll make sure of it. I'll have Fai here keeping guard. And sooner or later, you two won't even be conscious."

Nate and I thought the same thing, wondering what that he meant. Ian created an ice door at the exit, keeping us sealed in.

"Great," Nate said, getting up. At least this place didn't have any ice. "We're stuck."

"I can see that," I said, standing up too, almost slipping. Suddenly I saw steam forming inside. Hot steam. "What..."

"It's those two, they're trying to raise the temperature in here to make us go unconscious," Nate said, feeling the heat more and more.

I felt it too, feeling sweat trickle down the side of my face. "It's that Fai girl. Ian controls ice and Fai controls fire."

After that, no one said anything anymore. We sat at opposite corners of the room, not speaking to each other, let alone look. Hey, we were stuborn. As the heat raised, I looked at my watch to check the temperature. I looked up and noticed Nate's jacket was off, him only wearing his wife beater. Well who could blame him, this was guys' way to cool off. I would too, but under my sweater I was only wearing a bra. Now way was I taking anything off. I hugged my knees, breathing in and out trying to remind myself I wasn't dead, yet.

"Go ahead," Nate spoke up, making me slowly raise my head. "I won't look."

I made a small smile at Nate. I removed my cat ear hat and sweater, feeling somewhat better. It was still humid in here, but at least taking off my sweater made me feel better. After a few more seconds, I spoke up as well. "Why'd you save me before?"

"What?"

"Back out there, before Ian could freeze me, you threw that ice pillow at him." I remembered it quite well. "You didn't say anything about it, but you didn't want for me to be frozen, did you."

He looked down, being the stubborn Gray he was and not admitting to it.

I sighed, knowing he would deny it and stood back up, only wearing my socks since we both took off our shoes earlier. "Listen, let's just stop arguing for one minute so we can get out of here. I can't even remember why we're even fighting." I focused my sight at the ice door. I ran at it and screamed, charging. After ramming myself into the ice, I hit it, only feeling pain. I backed up, and tried again, only beating myself up more. But I had to try.

Meanwhile, on the outside in the arctic living room, Aiden peeked out of the closet, seeing none of us except for Fai, standing guard in the room with a distracted look. He opened the door, seeing her. "Why aren't you with your brother?"

Fai's head shot up, as did he. "You stay back!"

"Hey calm down I'm not a spy!" Aiden jumped, putting his arms in the air, only for him to slip on the ice and fall backwards.

Fai put down her arms and skated over to Aiden, helping him up.

"Thanks," he said as he smiled, making Fai make a small half smile. "You seem too nice to be evil."

"Yeah, that's what my brother keeps telling me," Fai said quietly. "I just follow him because he's more powerful. If I try anything I'd be hopeless against him."

"So you'd let him freeze the entire planet?" Aiden asked, keeping Fai silent. "From what I can tell, you control fire. I say you can stand an equal chance against your brother, more even. Just need to believe in yourself a little."

"What makes you say that?" Fai said with a hopeless expression.

Aiden laughed, smiling. "Because."

Fai turned to him and smiled. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Do what?" Aiden asked, suddenly clueless.

"I'll fight my brother. I correct all of this."

Aiden's eyes widened. "What? You can't!"

"Weren't you just telling me to stand up to my brother before?"

"Well, yeah, but he's waaay to crazy for you to fight alone," Aiden defended, shaking his hands. "You need our help."

"What help?"

"I have spy brothers? They enough help?"

Fai starred at Aiden, wondering whether to trust him or not.

"AGHHHH!" I screamed, charging at the ice wall yet again, only for me to bounce off it and slam to the ground, totally beat up by myself.

"Ash stop, you're gonna kill yourself if you keep doing that," Nate said from his corner to my left. He still didn't look at me, keeping his word when he said he wouldn't look.

"What do you care," I groaned, trying to stand up again. "Usually when we get into situations like this we'd always work together to get out of it. But since you won't help me, let alone have a decent conversation with me, then I'll keep doing this."

I ran at the door again, only to bounce back again and roll across the floor, absolutely powerless. All of my stamina had emptied. And it was still steaming hot in here. I wouldn't be able to stay conscious for long. And I could tell I was bleeding a little bit somewhere from all this crashing and falling.

As I felt my eyes started to close, I heard footsteps. I felt a cloth on my shoulder, making me wince. I guessed that was where I was bleeding.

"Shh, don't move. It'll bleed more," I heard Nate say. I breathed slowly, feeling the pain and heat go away. The cloth was his wife beater, being used as my bandages. So he was shirtless I guessed. He used his hands to help me sit up against him. He rested my head against his chest. I would be blushing by now if it wasn't for the heat. "Listen Ash, I'm sorry, for whatever stupid reason we were fighting. Just stop hurting yourself and rest alright?"

"But," I breathed in and out repeatedly, trying to stay conscious. "How are we gonna get out of here in the time?.... The heat..."

"Don't worry I'll find a way out. Just don't injure yourself anymore, okay?" Nate said, his hand on the back of my head. I smiled, enjoying this as hard as it was for me to keep awake. Just then I heard a weird sound. I opened my eyes wide enough to see the ice door melting, revealing the same frozen living room.

"That was quicker than I thought," I whispered weakly.

"Ash! Nate!" We heard Aiden shouted, running around the corner. "You're alive! You're- shirtless." He said, arriving at the door with Fai, both starring at us with weird expressions. "What...?"

"Uh," Nate said and blushed since I finnaly closed my eyes from tiredness. _'Perfect time to go unconscious Ash.'_

"They probably took of their shirts to try and survive the heat," Fai spoke up.

"I'll go with that," Aiden said still freaked out as he walked in, helping Nate with me as Nate put his jacket on. Fai melted the ice on the couch as they guys placed me on it.

"What happened to her?" Aiden asked, seeing the small cuts.

"She tried to ram the ice door down," Nate answered.

Aiden looked at his older brother with a bewildered expression. "And you didn't help her? What kinda best friend are you?"

"Hey we were in a feud at the moment," Nate defended as he held my hand, that was now freezing thanks to the quick-to-change temperature. "Will she be alright?"

"She's okay, just exhausted," Fai told, looking at my bruises. "She's probably sleeping."

"Ash, Ash can you wake up?" Nate said, shaking my arm.

I stirred a bit and opened my eyes slowly, a swarm of coldness washing over my bare chest and arms. "Oh gosh it's cold!" I shouted as my hands shot to my arms. Some wake up call.

"Yup she's alright," Aiden laughed as Nate gave me my sweater and helped me put it on.

"Hey you looked," I chuckled as I stuck my head through the neck hole.

Nate blushed. "Well either that or let your freeze to death."

I smiled and hugged him from the couch, making him blush even more. "Thank you for not letting me die."

Fai gave a look and pointed at us. "Are they...?"

Aiden shook his head with crossed arms. "Unfortunately no. They like each other but they keep denying it."

"I see," Fai said, dropping her hand. "Anyway, we've gotta go after my brother and stop him."

"My house," I said instanty, letting go of Nate. I remembered Shane and Jason went to get to Ember at my house. "Oh geez," I said, slapping my forehead. "Come on, we've gotta get over there!"

"Ash wait," Nate said grabbing my wrist before I could run off. "The snow's too deep. It's already up to our heads, and maybe higher. How can we possibly get there fast enough? And I doubt that Fai can melt all of this in time."

I smiled, placing my cat ear hat back on my head. "That's what I got plan B for."

"Plan B?" Nate repeated in a questioning tone. I just gave him my trademark grin and a small chuckle.

--

"MAN I LOVE THIS!" I shouted, getting a face full of flying snow. My veins were coarsing with adrenaline. Me, Nate, Aiden, and Fai were sledding down a snowy hill that used to be our street. We were using another door from the fire house as our sled.

"Where's Ash's house?!" Aiden shouted, holding onto his older brother with Fai.

"It's hard to tell with all the houses buried in snow," Nate said, trying to see through the blizzard. I was too busy standing and grinning, enjoying this wonderful feeling of adrenaline that I always get when in something G.R.A.Y related. "Ash sit down please?"

"Nope," I said with a grin. "Over there! I see it!" I yelled, pointing my arm. In a distance I saw a house with a bunch of snow piled off here and there. Probably from Jason and Shane. Then I saw a huge explosion of snow, too. "Yup definitely my house!"

After using lasers and Fai's fire powers to melt some snow, we slid downward and towards my front door. We crashed through it, arriving in another ice shrouded room.... Great.

"Ember! Shane! Jason!" Nate shouted into the house, Fai and Aiden right behind him and clutching onto his shirt.

"Ahhhh!" a high pitched voice screamed.

"Upstairs!" I yelled, running up the stairs, only for me to slip on the ice and have Nate catch me. Well, attempt to catch me. I knocked us both over. "Agh.... thanks," I groaned, on top of him.

"No problem," he said, just in as much pain.

"Nate, Ash, are you two alright?" Fai asked as she and Aiden helped the both of us up.

"We're good," Nate and I said at the same time.

"Guys!" Jason shouted, sliding down the frozen stair banister with some cuts on his clothes.

"Jason!" I said with a smile forming on my face. "Where's Ember and Shane? And Ian?"

"Shane's fighting upstairs," Jason said, hearing some crashing and freezing.

"I'll stall him," Fai said, catching everyone's attention.

"Are you sure?" Aiden asked, worried for his new friend.

Fai made a small cute smiled, an assuring smile. "Like you said, I just have to believe in myself. Thank you." She kissed Aiden's cheek, making him go red and googly eyed.

"Y-You go girl," he stammered with a sily girn.

Fai turned to me. "Make sure you get everyone to safety."

I gave her a thumbs up. "Go get him, kid."

She nodded determinedly and went up the stairs, each of her footsteps melting the ice under her.

"You guys got to get back to the fire house and to the basement though," Jason said.

"Why?" I asked surprised.

"Fai can only _stall_ her brother," Jason explained. "You guys need to head to the basement of the fire house. In the memory wiping controls is a time reverse setting. Do that, and we'll go back in time to this morning before all this can happen."

"I don't understand," I said.

"Ian is at his most powerful right now because of all the cold," Nate told me.

"If we can capture him before all this weird weather happens, we can take him easy," Jason finished. "Can you guys do that?"

Nate nodded and grabbed mey hand, rushing us out the door. We ran across the snow using parts of the fence as snow shoes. After coming in through the top window of the fire house, which was pretty high, we arrived in the frozen bedroom of Jason and Shane.

"Okay, we're in," I said, getting up from the ice.

"Come on, not much longer now. We have to get to the basement," Nate said. "It's gonna take forever, though."

"Well, we'll be reversing time, so, it won't really matter what we do to the house, right?" I said in a suggestive manner.

Nate gave me another look. "What are you thinking?"

I skated over to their drawers and pulled out a giant laser gun from under Shane's folded shirts. "Figures Shane would have this stashed in there."

"Ash what are you doing?" Nate asked warningly as I skated back over to him

"This," I said, pointing the gun down and firing a hot laser. I made a circle around the ground beneath us. Once I completed the circle, we began to fall down. Crashing through Nate's room, through the living room, and then down to the basement. In my ears I could hear me and Nate coughing from all the dust.

"Ash you okay?" Nate coughed.

"Yeah, just my spine," I groaned, sitting up and rubbing my back. We helped each other up and went over to the controls and computers. Nate being the smarter one here with this, went in front of me and to the keyboards. Luckily nothing down here was frozen in ice. "You got it?"

"Yeah, all set," Nate said, moving his hands away from the key board. "But there's a catch."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Once the enter button is pressed, we'll go back in time and mission complete," Nate said. "But whoever's in the room when it's pressed, their memory's wiped of the entire day."

I starred down at the monitor. "Oh."

"You go upstairs, I'll press the enter button," Nate said as if it were nothing.

"You sure?" I asked. I don't know why I'm making such a big deal about this to myself. I mean, what happened today that's worth remembering? We got into a huge fight, we ignored eachother... and we made up in a hot steam room.... and Nick saved my life.... "I mean I can press the button if you want." _Liar!_

"No, if anything I know you hate having to have your memory wiped. Go upstairs, Ash."

I made a small smile and hugged him, making Nate blush a little. I let go of him and ran up the stairs to get to the door back into the living room. Once I got back into the coldness of the house, I shut the door, hearing the click. From downstairs I heard a wiring sound and I shut my eyes, seeing a huge light engulf everything.

--

"Thank you Jake," Ms. Carmell said as the boy sat down. We were back in class right now the next day. Yesterday morning me, Shane, and Jason went to capture Ian, with Fai on our side too. Too bad Nate didn't have his memory of it, so he went to school alone. I had Ember cover for us with Nate. We decided not to share this little experience with Nate. Best he not try to remember it anyway.

"Sharmane, I see you'll be singing a song for your project," Ms. Carmell said smiling.

Sharmane gave her a fake smile while I glared. "Yes, Ms. Carmell."

"I can only imagine what she sings," I muttered with my hand under my head, my arms on my desk.

"Just deal with it, Ash," Jason said to me.

Sharmane pressed a button on the CD player after grabbing a microphone she brought in. "_Friday night beneath the stars, in a field behind your yard, you and I are paintin' pictures in the _sky."

My eyes widened as my head lifted. "Oh my gosh," is said in a whisper.

"What?" Jason asked.

"That's my song."

"What?"

"That's my song!" I shouted in a whisper. "Sharmane stole my song."

"_I'm only up when you're not down. Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground. It's like no matter what I do_."

Eventually she finished the song and the whole classed cheered, except me. She stole the song_ I_ was going to sing.

"Nicely done, Sharmane. You have a melodious voice!" Ms. Carmell praised.

"Why thank you ms. Carmell!" Sharmane said, bowing and blowing kisses, then winking at Nate. That popped a vein in my forehead.

"Oh man what am I gonna do?" I panicked.

"What about that recent song you just wrote?" Jason suggested.

My eyes widened as I stared at him. "What? But-But that's a song about Nate!"

Jason blinked. "And? Isn't your project about Nate anyway?"

I blushed, my cheeks matching the color of my red and orange cat ear hat. "W-What?"

Jason shook his head. "Just sing that song."

"B-But it's not even finished yet," I said, panicking on the inside about getting an F in this project... Wait why do I care again if I get an F? "And besides, it's not really a.... love song."

"Ashley Drame you're up!" Ms. Carmell said, looking at her 'clipboard of sunshines'. Yeah I don't get it either.

I sighed and got my little pile of stapled papers, which made up my tiny project. I slung my guitar case over my shoulder and walked up to the front of the class.

"Thank you, Ashley," Ms. Carmell said, taking my written part of the 'love project'. "I see you have a guitar. Will you be singing as well?"

I laughed nervously. "Oh I'll be singing, Ms. Carmell."

"Alright class, quiet down now," she said as I set up my guitar and seat. I looked at Ember and Shane, seeing them awaiting to hear my singing, since they don't hear it often. And you could tell how anticipating Nate was. And Jason, he too was curious about my new song. Man, here I am, about to sing to a group of strangers an unfinished song.

"Uh, well, here I go. This is a song I wrote earlier. It's called 7 things," I said, strumming my guitar.

_I probably shouldn't say this  
But at times I get so scared  
When I think about the previous  
Relationship we've shared  
It was awesome but we lost it  
It's not possible for me not to care_

I remembered writing this when I was mad at Nate, so you can understand why it's not so lovey-dovey as most of the songs sung here were.

_Now we're standing in the rain  
But nothing's ever gonna change until you hear, my dear...  
The 7 things I hate about you!  
The 7 things I hate about you  
You're vain, your games, you're insecure  
You love me, you like her  
You make me laugh, you make me cry  
I don't know which side to buy  
You're friends, they're jerks  
When you act like them, just know it hurts  
I wanna be with the one I know_

See I got the idea from the game Nate and I played at the classroom morning that never happened, when we tired to think of 7 things we liked about each other. And somehow when I wrote the song out of anger, I came up with 6 things I hated about Nate.... And I guess, I came up with the last part at the tip of my tongue just now.

_And the 7th thing I hate the most that you do  
You make me love you_

I strummed my guitar again, remembering the second verse.

_It's awkward and it's silent  
As I wait for you to say  
What I need to hear now  
Your sincere apology  
And when you mean it, I'll believe it  
If you text it, I'll delete it  
Let's be clear...  
I'm not coming back  
You're taking 7 steps here._  
_The 7 things I hate about you!  
You're vain, your games, you're insecure  
You love me, you like her  
You make me laugh, you make me cry  
I don't know which side to buy  
You're friends, they're jerks  
When you act like them, just know it hurts  
I wanna be with the one I know  
And the 7th thing I hate the most that you do  
You make me love you_

I continued strumming my guitar, trying to think up a bridge since that was all I got up to. Then I would play the chorus one last time and I was home free. But, I felt like I had to change something in the song...

_Compared to all the great things  
That would take too long to write  
I should probably mention.... the 7 that I like...._

And here's the change that I remembered. The 7 things I told Nate I liked about him that morning.

_The 7 things I like about you!  
Your hair, your eyes, your old Levi's  
When we kiss I'm hypnotized  
You make me laugh, you make me cry  
But I guess that's both I'll have to buy  
Your hand in mine  
When we're intertwined, everything's alright  
I wanna be with the one I know  
And the 7th thing I like the most that you do  
You make me love you _

I looked up as I strum my guitar. Ember, Shane and Nate were smiling, but I bet Jason felt that older-brother-feeling of being right.

_Oooh, la la la, la la... Oooh, la la la, la la...._

With that the entire classroom clapped as Sharmane glared at me. I smiled, bowing my head. But Shane stood up in his seat, clapping and cheering loudly. That made me laugh.

"Bravo! Bravo Ash!" he shouted like he were some proud father. I was still laughing a bit and smiling. Well, I just wrote a love song unofficially about Nate. At this moment I had no idea what to think of that. But I guess I was safe. If I'm right, Nate doesn't remember that game we played that morning. If he did, the song _and_ my project would be so obvious.

Nate smiled a little too, clapping silently. Underneath his desk on his lap was his written part of his project. Do you remember that Best Friends Forever contract and he and I signed all the way back in Kindergarden I mentioned in a flashback all the way before at the _very _beginning? Well, unknown to me, the corner of that now old, yellow, and wrinkled paper, was sticking out of Nate's project, the project about his crush...

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"You alright?" Nate asked, snapping me out of it._

_"Yeah, just remembering some stuff," I said, placing the door back down on the shelf. "I never did get into research about this Christina girl like I said I would."_

_"Well, maybe some things should be left alone," Nate said._

_--_

_Nate fell to his knees, losing all the feeling in his body. "What are you doing?!" he said with strain in his voice._

_Alex smirked. "Becoming you."_

_--_

_"Just tell us what you did to Nate," I demanded Alex, remembering something was wrong with my best friend._

_"Wait Ash I am him!" Alex pleaded from his cell._

_"How am I to believe you're Nate."_


	40. Switch Situation Pt1

_Alex is back for revenge. And to do so, he switches bodies with Nick to get to Ash. Can Kevin, Joe, and Ash figure it out beofre it's too late? In a side story, Mysti and Kevin have to bake a cake, but are failing miserably._

* * *

**CHAPTER 40: Switch Situation Pt1**

"I win," I said, getting Nate's last black checker piece.

"I can't believe it. You won, again," Nate said, running his hand through his hair.

I gave him a weak smile. "What can I say? I have a knack for checkers."

"You haven't played checkers in years though," Nate said, setting up the pieces again.

"I guess it's another lost talent," I said, watching Nate place the pieces onto their spaces. "Or maybe my IQ."

"What IQ?" Nate asked, looking up at me for a second.

"Mr. G says I have a high IQ from a test I took way back," I said, watching him.

"Then why don't you ever use it?" Nate asked.

I pouted. "I do use it.... on missions and the like."

Nate gave me a look, now finished setting them up. "And school?"

"Well I have no enthusiasm for school," I said, adjusting my cat ear hat.

"Weird, some pieces are missing," Nate said, looking around to see if we dropped any. Then he eyed me. "You eat any of them?"

I smacked his arm. "Don't be crazy. Some proabably flew out the window when you banged your fist on the bed after the last game. By which it was the _17th game straight_." Our window was open by the way. As cold as it was outside, we needed some air. "Can we please do something else?"

"No, not until I beat you," Nate said, being the same competitive Gray I've known all my life.

I groaned, hanging my head back. "Alright, I'll go check my closet. Maybe I have extra pieces from someplace. Come help me." We got off my bed and towards my closet. I opened the door and pulled on the string, turning on the light.

"Hm," Nate said, his eyes wandering the surprisingly neat closet. "Sometimes I forget how big your closet is."

"I know the feeling," I said said as we walked in. I checked through a bunch of coats hanging from hangers. In a way my closet was like storage, along with being a place for mine and Ember's clothes. As Nate and I looked around, I suddenly met eyes with the Christina Doll from a few missions back. It almost spooked me actually, seeing it again.

"Ash?" Nate said, hearing me gasp.

"S-Sorry," I said, regaining my posture. With my hands I picked up the Christina Doll and remembered that mission back in the Downing Mansion.

"You alright?" Nate asked, snapping me out of it.

"Yeah, just remembering some stuff," I said, placing the door back down on the shelf. "I never did get into research about this Christina girl like I said I would."

"Well, maybe some things should be left alone," Nate said.

"I guess you're right," I said. "Besides that I don't think I have anymore checker pieces."

We laughed and exited the closet, heading back into the bedroom. "You're probably happy. This means you don't have to play anymore checkers."

"Ooh I am happy," I said with a grin.

All of a sudden an explosion was heard from downstairs. We exchanged glances then rushed downstairs. Seeing some smoke erupting from the kitchen, we walked in. And surely inside, Jason was in there with Mysti, both coughing.

"My gosh what's going on?" I said, trying to blow away some smoke with my hand fanning.

"Sorry, Ash," Mysti apoligized once all the smoke cleared. "It's Ember's birthday tomorrow so Shane wants us to bake her a huge seven layer cake as a surprise."

"At her own house?" Nate asked with a look.

Jason opened a window to let the smoke out. "Don't look at us for the answer. We're just trying to do this without more than one explosion."

"Ember's at the fire house with Shane right now," Mysti added, her bandages still around her eyes, as usual.

I blinked. "Mysti, no offence but, your blind. How can you bake a humongo cake?"

"That's what I got Jason for," Mysti said in her usual bored but amused tone. "Shane being the same forgetful kid he is, left a message at my house for me to bake a cake. I figured he'd know I can bake anything special because of my disability, but I thought wrong."

"So she called me, and here we are," Jason said, now cleaning the table.

"Wouldn't it be safer to do this at Mysti's apartment where Ember definitely won't see it?" Nate asked, helping his brother.

Mysti laughed with crossed arms. "Since I refuse to risk burning down the whole apartment, I had my stove removed."

"Ah," I said as the tabled was cleaned. "Now what up with the previous explosion?"

"Let it be known that neither Jason or I can bake," Mysti said. If she weren't blind with bandages I probably would have seen her roll her eyes.

"You think you guys can help us?" Jason asked.

Nate shook his head. "I hate baking. Sorry."

"You _hate_ baking?" I asked, looking at Nate. "You've baked with me plenty of times as a kid."

"_As a kid_. Do I look like a kid?"

"You tend to act like one when you're in panic mode," I said.

Nate scoffed. "I do not panic."

"Uh huh," Jason, Mysti, and I said, looking away.

"Oh yeah? Name one time," Nate said.

__

The fuel meter started going off like a siren from a fire truck and all of us began screaming. Ember and Aiden were holding onto Shane's chair and I was holding onto Nate's chair, since he was in the passenger seat.  
"WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Ember and Nate panicked while Aiden just screamed.  
"NO ONE'S DIEING!" I yelled over the alarm and the screaming.

"Ash it's Chirstmas Eve, and we've got about a dozen criminals in your living room! I don't think any doctor would want to deliver a baby here anytime soon!" Nate told me, not helping me one bit. "Ash you have to deliver the baby!"  
"Who has to what the where now?" I asked.  
"Ash come on! You're the only sane person here!"  
"What about you?!"  
"Do I look sane at the moment?!" he asked grabbing my shoulders.

I laughed. "I can definitely remember a bunch more moments, funnier ones."

Nate glared. "Shut up."

I rolled my eyes then heard Nate's watch beep. He picked up his wrist and looked at it. "What is it?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot I told Dad I would stop over at the G.R.A.Y prison."

I pouted. "Man, you're leaving."

Nate smiled. "Won't take long, I hope. Later guys."

I waved as he ran out of the kitchen and into the living room.

--**NATE'S POV--**

"Alright, thanks for helping me fix the security system, Nate," Dad said as we closed the small door.

I nodded. "No problem, Dad. Glad to help out."

"Alright, you go around to check if all of the boxes are working right. Then we can leave."

"Got it," I said, turning around. I walked through the long railways, seeing each box with a blinking red light, meaning each was working. As I passed a cellar, I realised it was empty. I arched my eyebrow and walked towards it. I looked over to the tiny control panel and realised it was that Alex kid's cell, the one who liked dolls. "Where is that kid?"

"Looking for me?" his sneaky annoying voice said as he dropped from the ceiling where he was hiding. He threw at me this claw hooked onto a wire. It hooked around my wrist, stuck.

I shook it, trying to get it off. "What the-"

"I told you I'd get my revenge," Alex said from inside his cell with a smirk. "I _will_ get Ash."

All of a sudden, I felt everything go black as my eyes forcefully shut closed. I fell to my knees, losing all the feeling in my body. "What are you doing?" I said with strain in my voice.

Alex stayed the same, but I saw the wire and bracelets glowing. "Becoming you."

--**ASH'S POV--**

I was in my room, listening to some music alone. It was night now and I still haven't heard from Nate.

"If you're so worried just call him on your watch," Ember said, blow drying her black highlighted hair.

"What if he's in the middle of something though?" I said, thinking of a bunch of possibilities.

"Maybe he's already home then?" Ember guessed.

"He would have called me then," I pouted, getting even more worried. "Why does he have to be so strange about these things?"

Ember chuckled. "_All_ of the Gray brothers are acting strange. Aiden and Shane made me play video games for the entire day. It was like they were trying to make me stay there forever or something."

I laughed nervously with that small grin. "Yup, hehe. Definitely strange." Makes me wonder what Jason and Mysti did with the cake. The kitchen's as clean as a whistle right now, so Ember still doesn't know.

My watch started beeping. I looked down at it and pressed the button. "Nate! Where've you- Oh, Shane."

"Ash, you're safe right?" Shane asked frantically.

I blinked. "Define safe..."

Shane shook his head. "Never mind. Are you ok?"

"Of course I'm ok. Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's Nate," he said, catching my attention. "He's been acting weird lately."

"So he's home?" I asked with a smile. "Let me talk to him-"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea," Shane said. "When I say he's acting weird, I mean really weird. He's always locked in his room in the dark with the lights turned off. I was wondering if you knew anything."

"I dont," I said. "Earlier today he left to go to the G.R.A.Y Prison with your dad. That's what I remember."

"The prison," Shane repeated, thinking of something.

"Want me to come over and talk to Nate?"

"No, I don't know if you should," Shane said. "Right now, stay away from Nick."

"Why?" I askled getting irritated as to why I couldn't contact my best friend.

"He was asking for you."

I made a face. "So what's the big deal? Maybe he has some problem and wants to talk to me about it."

"No, something's wrong with him," Shane said. "Can you meet me at the G.R.A.Y Prison?"

I looked out the window, seeing it was already dark. "Sure. I'll be there in five."

"Great, thanks," Shane said, ending the conversation and making my watch beep.

"What was that all about?" Ember asked worryingly.

"I don't know. Something involving Nate but Shane won't tell me," I said annoyed. "Well, I guess I better get to the prison. Cover for me while I'm gone?"

"Yeah yeah I know the drill," Ember said as I ran out the door, saying bye to my mom.

"Ash where you going?" Mom said cooking.

"Exploding something over at the Grays' house!" said runing out the door and grabbed my cat ear hat from the coat rack along with my sweater.

--

I arrived in the city part of town. After going down an alley way and facing a brick wall. I knocked on it and it opened up, revealing the prison. I walked in and everything shut behind me.

"Shane you in here?" I called out.

"Right here," Shane said by a desk. In his hands was a big leather book.

"What's that?" I asked, walking over to him.

"Aiden found this in Nate's bed," Shane explained, handing it to me.

I took it in my hands. It was black leather with a red ribbon bookmark, gold edging pages. "_Rituals of Reviving the Dead_.... Ok now I'm beyond worried." I said shaking my head and looked back up at Shane. "Why the heck would Nate have this thing? Just holding it scares me. Ugh," I said, shuddering.

"That's why I don't want you to see Nate right now," Shane said. "If he has this, is staying in the dark, and wants to talk to you in private, I am going to believe he is some vampire wanting to suck your blood."

"Ok now that's crazy talk," I said. "Where's Jason anyway? He should be helping us with this."

--

"Well, we got the cake baked," Jason said, sitting in Mysti's kicthen. "Now how to decorate it."

Mysti laughed. "If it takes 6 hours just to make the cake, how long could using frosting take?"

"Do we even _have_ any frosting?" Jason asked, looking around the nearly empty kitchen.

"I think I can make some," Mysti said. "Well, you make it. I'll tell you what to do to make it."

"Sure that's a good idea?" Jason asked unsure as Mysti took out a giant bowl from her cabinet.

"Either that or have Shane nag us for the rest of our lives," Mysti replied. "You going to help me or not?"

Jason sighed. "Oh boy."

--

"They're never finish that cake," I muttered.

"What?" Shane asked.

"Nothing, back to original topic," I said fast. "What are we going to do about Nate?"

"You said he was normal when he was at your house. Then he came here and became Count Nathaniel before coming back home. Must have happened here, whatever it is that happened."

"Yeah," I agreed. "We'll look around together. I'm not too sure it's safe to go around here alone."

As we walked around the prison, trying to find clues, I put on my G.R.A.Y glasses. I saw the footprints of Nate's shoes and narrowed my eyes. "Come on, follow me." Shane and I followed the trail and arrived in front of a cell where the footprints ended, only to head back the way they came. I removed my glasses and looked up.

"It's Alex's cell," Shane said, reading the control panel.

I looked into the darkness of the cell and saw Alex asleep in the corner, one knee up with his elbow on it. "Hey Alex, wake up!" I whispered, not wanting to wake up any more prisoners.

He shifted a bit and groaned but either was was still asleep. "Gosh this kid sleeps like a rock," Shane commented. "Why does that remind me of someone?"

"Reminds me of Nate," I said, rolling my eyes. "YO ALEX WAKE UP!"

He screamed and fell sideways, making me and Shane wince our eyes, but I kept my glare.

"What?" he said, rubbing his eyes. But when he saw us, his eyes widened. "Shane! Ash!"

"Yeah yeah cut the introductions now what have you done to my baby brother?" Shane said, making me look at him strangely at how dramatic he sounded.

"Wait, guys you've got to help me- Ah!" he screamed, tripping. He looked back at his ankle, seeing a bruise. "Man I really that that kid."

"Just tell us what you did to Nate," I demanded, remembering something was wrong with my best friend.

"Wait Ash I am him!" Alex shouted from the floor, sitting back up.

Shane laughed. "Very funny."

"Seriously!" Alex shouted with a desperate look on his face. "Ash you believe me right?"

I starred, wondering. "How am I to believe you're Nate."

"Because! When I came here he attached this weird thing to my wrist and somehow we switched!" he said, holding his ankle where it hurt.

I tried to figure this out in my mind. This _can not_ be happening. "What's my favorite ice cream flavor?"

"Strawberry."

"Favorite hat."

"The one with jingle bells."

"What I used to hate doing.

"Singing."

"Hate wearing."

"Polka-dotted resses."

"Person I hate most."

"Sharmane Prally."

"Why?"

"Because you're jealous of her."

"I am not jealous!" I snapped, suddenly making my face drop. "Oh my gosh you are Nate."

Shane looked at me. "You're not actually gonna believe this boy are you Ash?"

'Nate' glared at Shane from his cellar. "Then maybe I should tell Ash _you_ were the one who set that tranchela on her couch who knocked over that lantern thus setting the couch on fire!"

My eyes widened as I looked at Shane, who was making hand movements trying to make Nate shut up. "_You_ were the one who made toast of my couch?!"

"I didn't want to hold the spider!"

"You were the one who _bought_ the spider!" We both blinked, starring back at the boy inside the cellar. "Nate!"

"Yes hello," he said calmly.

"Nate what are you doing in there?!" Shane panicked.

"Weren't you listening before?" Nate said with a face.

I sighed. "Whatever. Let's get you out of here."

"Ash wait, it'll set off the alarm!" Nate shouted.

"We can't just leave you here," Shane said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm not gonna have that little booger in my best friend's body. Especially since he has the hots for me. And we all know that's not right."

"Well you'll just have to try and find a way around it, figure something out. Besides, I think Alex sprained his ankle before he switched with me so I can't walk."

"Not if I can't help it. Shane, go to the controls. Open this cellar and I'll carry him." Shane nodded and ran.

"You're seriously gonna carry me?" Nate asked in disbelief.

"Duh, how else are we gonna break you out of here?" I said.

"You do know if you're caught you're risking your life as a spy."

"I risk my life as a below average student at school everytime I break out of detention. Not that big of a deal." Nate gave me a look, making me roll my eyes. "If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't give you a piggy back ride if you were in your own body. Happy macho-man?"

The cell door lifted and I ran in, getting Nate on my back. I ran out and met up with Shane at the exit of the prison.


	41. Switch Situation Pt2

_Alex is back for revenge. And to do so, he switches bodies with Nate to get to Ash. Can Kevin, Joe, and Ash figure it out before it's too late? In a side story, Mysti and Kevin have to bake a cake, but are failing miserably._

* * *

**CHAPTER 41: Switch Situation Pt2**

"Okay, I'm home," I said, placing Nate onto my couch, plopping onto it myself.

"And no sign of Alex either," Shane said, closing the curtains.

"Welcome back, Ash," Mom said. "Want some pizza?"

"Um, maybe later," I said, nervous.

Mom looked at Nate, who was in Alex's body. "Who's this?"

"Um..." I blinked, trying to think up something.

"He's my cousin!" Shane spoke up, looking back at Nate. "Right cousin?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm Alex, Gray," Nate said, still trying to get used to Alex's voice.

"Shane's babysitting him today," I added as Ember walked out from the kitchen with pizza. When she saw Alex, her eyes widened.

"Hello Ember!" Shawnee greeted loudly with a huge, and vaguely creepy, smile. "Can you get some bandages for my little cousin Alex Gray who's not Nate trapped in his body-" I elbowed him, making him shut up.

"Uh, right," Ember said with a strange look, eyeing us both weirdly before walking back into the kitchen. After Mom went upstairs with me and Shane waving and grinning like idiots, we both dropped our arms and took huge sighs of relief.

"Boy am I glad that's over," I said.

"Yeah, way to cover for me, Shane," Nate added sarcastically, thinking of Shane as an idiot right now.

"Well it worked didn't it?" Shane shrugged.

"To a certain extent," Ember answered, walking back into the room with the bandages and medicine, throwing them at me.

I caught them. "Thanks."

"What's going on?" Ember asked with crossed arms.

"Long story short, Nate and Alex switched," Shane said as I cleaned Nate's ankle so I could bandage it. "Don't ask how, but we need to switch them back."

".... Sorry I asked," Ember said, shaking her head from this nonsense. "What are you guys gonna do?"

I started to wrap the bandages around Nate's ankle. "We decided that Nate should stay here for the meantime. One so his ankle can heal. Two so he's not stuck in that prison. Plus I already have an A-class plan."

"You do?" Ember asked.

"You do?" Shane and Nate asked.

"Yes why does everyone sound so surprised? Geez," I said, finishing the bandaging and smirking. "If I'm right, Alex is inside Nate's body. And as far as we know, he doesn't know we found out all this. So for now, we'll just have to, show him how our gang spends quality time together."

"Is anyone following where this is going?" Nate asked.

I sighed. "You'll see. We'll need Aiden in on this too. Ember you're helping."

"Why me?"

"Because I'm going to be doing something else and the guys need a girl to keep them in check," I said. "Now, the plan will start tomorrow. Shane you better get home."

"Right, take care of Nate," Shane said, leaving the house.

--

"Alright, this isn't exactly how I planned for this to go along," Jason said, looking around the frosting covered kitchen. He and Mysti too were smothered in it.

"I can only imagine how bad my kitchen looks," Mysti said. "The joys of living alone."

Jason laughed nervously. "Don't worry, I'll help clean up."

"Thanks," Mysti said with a small smile. "But how are we gonna do this cake? It's like, impossible for mankind. I don't even know how bakers do it."

Jason's head shot up from behind the counter. "Wait, Baker. Why don't we just buy a cake?"

"We can't. Shane wants the cake to be made by us," Mysti reminded. "Plus I doubt any bakery in Wyckoff makes seven layered cakes for a low price on such short notice."

Before Jason could say something, his watched beeped. "Shane?"

"Hey Jason," Shane greeted, running. "Say, you in for a little sabotage tomorrow for a good cause?"

"What kinda trouble are you guys in now?" Jason said as if he expected it, making Mysti laugh.

"The kind of trouble in which Nate is stuck in the body of a 12-year-old boy," Shane said fast.

Jason blinked with a strange look on his face. "Well that's an oddly specific kind of trouble."

"I'll explain the plan to you once you get home, well, once Ash tells me the plan. I have no idea what we're doing exactly."

"Well that's comforting to know," Jason said sarcastically. "I'll be home in a few minutes."

"What happened?" Mysti asked.

"Spy stuff. And now begins the misadventures of the G.R.A.Y life."

Mysti smiled. "You can leave now if you want. We can clean up tomorrow. It's gonna become a mess in the afternoon when we try to make the cake again, anyway."

"Thanks Mysti, you're the best," Jason said, giving her a quick hug before running out the apartment door.

Mysti smiled, waving in his direction. "Things I like about you guys, you treat me like I'm not blind. Thing I hate about you guys, I have no idea how to follow your version of normal," she said, starting to clean the counter with a wet cloth.

--

"Good morning, guys," I said with a grin, meeting Shane, Jason, and Ember in the hallway in front of my locker.

"Good morning," Ember said. "So we all know the plan?"

Jason nodded. "Surprisingly yes. Might actually work."

"If we don't get in trouble," I said with a wink. "Okay, now that Ms. Autumn saw me, I'll sneak out and get with Nate back at my house."

"Tell me again why you're sneaking out of school?" Shane asked.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out in.... two to eight hours if I can get to Canada and back in time," I said looking at my watch.

"If who can get to where in what now?" Shane said.

"First off that's my line and second don't mess this up," I said, then running down the hall as fast as I could. They starred in my direction, all thinking the same thing.

"...Did she just say she was going to Canada?" Jason repeated.

"Shh, Alex's coming," Ember whispered seeing Nate's body walk in.

"Action time," Shane whispered with a grin. "Nate!! Little bro!! About time you woke up, buddy!" Shane shouted loudly, slinging his arm around 'Nate's' shoulder.

Alex made a confused face. "Uh, right. Morning... Shane," he said unsure of the names.

Ember smirked. "You know, I always believed that the bullies back in my middle school had no lives, picking on kids, just to ruin their day for their own enjoyment.... Now I'll finally know what it feels like!"

Jason laughed. "For once, I think Monday will actually be interesting."

--

"I'm back," I groaned, trying to come in through my bedroom window, which was at the second floor. "Help?"

"Ash!" Nate said from my bed. His foot was still bruised, so he hopped on one foot towards the window as I tried to hold on for my life. Nate pulled me in and I fell through, making the both of us fall down on the floor with a loud thud.

"Ankle in pain," Nate groaned.

"Sorry, sorry," I apologized, helped him up and over to the bed.

"I can not wait to get back into my body, where I have two working ankles," Nate said.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Now come on. We've got to get to Canada."

His eyes widened as his eyebrows rose. "Wait why are we going to Canada?"

"That's where Christina was buried," I reminded as if it were obvious. "If anything we've got to get to her for help."

He looked at me in disbelief. "You are going to a tombstone, for help."

"I was hoping more along the lines of ghost or spirit, but yeah tombstone hits the nail on the head," I said, throwing my school bag onto the floor.

"I still don't understand why we have to go to another country for this," Nate said.

"We're going to another country for you!" I said sounding like it was a positive thing. He didn't change his face expression. "Geez that 12-year-old-ness must be rubbing off on you or something."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Ash how are we even going to get there?"

"Do what I do, get a jet," I going into my closet.

Nate blinked his eyes, seeing how blunt I said about getting a jet. "Let's get this over with."

I grinned, throwing that book Shane gave me at the prison into my bag, along with the Christina doll. After putting it over my shoulder, I got Nate on my back and jumped out the window. Of course I wasn't thinking twice so we screamed, crashing _again_ in the backyard ground.

"Oww..." I groaned. "I bet the others are doing way better at school."

"Hey, at least I landed on you this time," Nate said, making me slap his arm. "Ow!"

--

"Hey Nate!" Ember said happily, waving at Alex from her locker.

"Uh, hi Ember," Alex said, in Nate's body. "You know where Ash is?"

"No but I need you to help me carry some books to my next period you think you can help me yes thanks I owe you!"

"Hey wait-"

"Thank you!" Ember said, dropping a _huge_ pile of books into Alex's arms, making him fall down. All she did was grin. "Oh come oh now don't slouch, Nate. You'll make me late for class." She smirked devilishly and gave Shane and Jason and thumbs up who were watching close by, hiding behind newspapers they were pretending to read. Joe's, of course, being upside down.

--

"Nate!" Jason said, waving at him as Alex walked into Computer Class.

"H-Hi Jason," Alex said, looking at an empty seat next to Jason, sitting down a few seconds later since he had no idea whether he was allowed to sit there.

"Hey you think you can print out some papers for me over there by the printer? It'll only take a second," Jason said.

"Sure," Alex said hessitently, getting back up and over to the 'printer'. Unknown to him and the rest of the class, that was Jason's printer that he made specifically for today.

As Alex pressed the green start button on it, it exploded, making the class scream. Jason hid a huge smile as he looked through the smoke. When it cleared it revealed Alex with his shirt and face covered in black ink.

"Nate, are you okay?" Jason asked fakely to his so-called little brother.

"Oh, never better," Alex gritted through his teeth.

"Hey, I think I got an extra shirt for you, don't you worry about all this... Say you got a little ink over there," Jason said, wiping some off his shoulder, barely doing much.

--

Alex walked down the hall in a pink 'I love teddy bears' shirt that Jason gave him to replace his ink blotted shirt.

"Nate-man! What's up?!" Shane shouted enthusiastically, rushing up to Alex.

"I'm looking for Ash. Where is she?"

"Oh I'm not quite sure where she is," Shane said, turning his head left and right. "Hey, you seem to have some ink on your hands. You better go to the bathroom to wash that up."

Alex rolled his eyes and walked into the boys bathroom, Shane standing beside the door with his arms crossed, a smirk to compliment the 'my plan worked' look. "Three, two, one."

"AHH!" Alex shouted as he ran out the bathroom, three girls chasing him and attempting to hurt him painfully.

Ember walked out of the same bathroom too, looking back at the door and seeing the blue boys sign. "You switched the signs?"

"Yup."

"Up top," Ember said, giving Shane a high five as Alex ran down the halls again, still being chased by the three girls.

--

It was lunch time, and Jason, Shane, and Ember were sitting at their usual table, grinning.

"Alright, ready for the final school phase?" Ember asked.

"I've been waiting all day for this," Shane laughed.

"Nate over here!" Jason called, seeing Alex with his food tray. He looked at them strangely before coming over to sit with them.

"Why do you guys have that look?" Alex asked confused.

"It's Foodfight Monday. Don't you remember?" Shane asked, 'playfully' punching Alex's arm, where he might as well have punched a punching bag.

"Food fight-?"

"FIRE AT WILL!" Ember shouted as Shane and Jason fired their food, causing the rest of the students to riot. And just on time, Ms. Autumn came in, getting caught in the crossfire once again.

Alex ducked, dodging pieces of flying food everywhere. "How does Ash and Nate handle high school everyday?"

"ENOUGH!" Ms. Autumn shouted, ceasing the fire, except for one bowl of macaroni hitting the side of her head. She turned her head towards the usual group, Jason, Shane, Ember, and 'Nate'. "You! Which one of you started this?!"

Ember, Jason, and Shane stepped backwards one step, leaving Alex in the front. Alex looked back at the others. "What are you guys doing?" he harshly whispered.

"It's your turn this week to take the blame, remember?" Jason reminded.

"Gray! Detention after school!" Ms. Autumn shouted.

Alex shut his eyes and hung his head backwards. "Kill me now."

--

"Here we are," I said as I walked through the graveyard with Nate still on my back. I've gotten used to it actually.

"Am I the only one creeped out here?" Nate asked, his arms around my neck.

"Hey, I'm doing this for you, remember that," I said.

"Yes Ash, I've remembered that the past twenty-seven times you said that on the way here," Nate told me.

"Well forgive me for trying to calm myself down by saying that one sentence over and over again," I retorted back at him. I walked over to a tombstone.

"Christina Herlina," Nate read as I sat him down on the grass so I could get my bag. "Remind me again what we're doing here?"

I ignored him and I got that book out of my bag. "_Rituals of Reiving the Dead_."

"New question that totally surpasses my last. _Why_ are we reviving the dead?!"

"We're not reviving the dead," I said, going through the pages. "We're simply, _calling_ the dead."

"Sure, that makes me feel much better," Nate said sarcastically. "Ash are you sure this is gonna work? No are you sure this won't get us into anymore trouble than we already are?"

"Trust me," I said. I closed my eyes and laid my hands on the Christina doll, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I need to meditate. I need utter, silence."

Nate looked around, hearing crickets. "No problem there."

I kept my eyes closed, looking for something. I saw myself in a dark space. And in front of me, I saw a light forming into the shape of a girl. "Christina..."

The girl smiled. "So you're Ashley."

I was still in utter shock. "Man I thought it wouldn't work but it's working and oh geez I'm talking to a ghost."

Christina chuckled. "Please, you have to save Alex."

"Why would I wanna do that?" I asked with a disgusted look.

Christina's face softened. "My best friend wasn't always like that. And I know you want to save your friend too," she added, making me give in. "Please, help him."

I sighed. "Alright, what do I have to do?"

"He used some sort of contraception so switch himself with your friend," Christina explained. "Find that, switch them back, and talk to him. Please."

"I'll do what I can," I assured with a nod.

She gave me a comforting smile. "Thank you, Ashley. I am in debt to you," Christina finished with a bow in thanks.

With that, the light surrounded everything until my eyes shut. Back in reality, my eyes snapped open, and I was face to face with Christina's tombstone yet again.

"Ash?" Nate asked in Alex's voice. I almost forgot the situation I was in. "You back to normal-ville?"

"I know what we're supposed to do," I said quickly. ".... We've got to get back to Wyckoff," I announced, scurring to my feet.

"Here we go again," Nate sighed as I gathered the book and doll into my bag.

--

"Where the heck is Ash?" Joe whispered to Kevin.

"I don't know. I thought she'd be here by now," Jason whispered back as they all walked from school. He was just as worried as Shane was.

"I'm just lucky Alex's at detention," Ember sighed out with a hand going through her streaked hair. "He looked like he wanted to kill us. And with Nate's looks, it's twice as intimidating."

"Well, at least we can finally catch a break here at the fire house," Shane said while they went through the front door, only for Shane to yelp seeing Alex on the couch covered in honey and some leaves. "H-Hey Nate!"

"What are you doing here?" Ember asked confusingly. "And like that."

"Sneaked out of detention," Alex replied, turning off the TV.

"Then he accidentally set of my homemade security system project that I made for school," Auden said with a wink, sitting in the seat across from Alex. Shane started snickering until he was elbowed by Jason.

"Haha, I guess you're becoming more like Ash now, Nate. Her sneakiness is starting to rub off on you, haha," Ember laughed nervously.

"Quit the stalling, where is she," Alex demanded.

Ember blinked in panic. "She's, she's in the-"

"Bathroom," Jason cut off.

"In Kansas," Shane added, making Ember and Jason stare at him with bewildered faces.

Aiden and Alex gave them the strangest looks.

"Ash... is in a bathroom... in Kansas," Alex repeated slowly.

"Well you know Ash! Likes to try random things!" Shane said loudly with a wave of his hand. "S-She sent me a text saying she skipped school to, uh, study... bathroomicity... in the north."

"Kasas is in the west you ding-dong," Ember whispered with a vein as she pulled on Shane's ear, making him wince painfully.

"AHRGHHH!" I shouted, shooting down the fire pole and landing on Alex like a canon ball. We both crashed onto the ground, making Jason, Shane, Ember, and Aiden jump. I put him in a headlock with my arms, an angry look on my face.

From up at the fire pole Nate stuck his head down, seeing the whole scene. "... So much for the element of surprise."

"Ah! What are you doing?!" Alex shouted, trying to get out of my grip.

"Give it up kid! I know your not Nate!" I shouted. "Now you better change yourselves back into your original bodies otherwise Nate's body is going to need a neck brace!"

Nate gulped from upstairs, holding his neck. "I don't like where this is going you know!"

"Nate!" Aiden smiled, looking up.

"Okay! Okay! I give! Let me go!" Alex shouted. I let go off him, leaving him exhausted on the floor. Me and the others tied him to a wooden chair as Shane went upstairs to get Nate.

"Let me go!" Alex shouted, shaking the chair.

"Not until you tell us how to switch you and Nate back," Jason said sternly.

Alex just glared, making me sigh. "Can you guys give us a minute? I need to talk to my 'best friend' alone," I said.

"Whatever. Let's go you guys," Ember ordered, pushing Jason and Aiden into the kitchen.

I saw down on the couch across Alex, both of us silent. I noticed he was no longer struggling.

"Listen," I started, not know what to say exactly. But I did know I had to say something if I wanted to get anywhere. "I went to Christina's grave."

Alex shot his head up. "You did?"

I nodded. I still found it weird though that I was talking to Alex in Nate's body. "Yeah. Alex she doesn't like you like this. She says she wants her old best friend here, not, this."

Alex looked away stubbornly like the 12 year old he was inside.

"Please?" I asked. "It's for Christina. It's what she wants."

Alex turned to me, making me nervous. I was reaaaly hoping he would just say okay so we can switch them back and pretend none of this ever happened. "On one condition," he finally said.

I arched my eyebrow, preparing myself. "What condition?"

"You have to kiss me," he said with a smirk.

"Who has to what where now?" I repeated with a look. "Alex let me remind you you're _Nate_ at the moment. I am not going to kiss you even if you were still-" he cut me off with a one second kiss, making me slap him upside the head. I began coughing and spitting.

"Whoa," Jason said, the three of them watching from the kitchen with their heads sticking out.

"The kid's good," Ember said, blinking.

"I can not believe he just did that," Aiden said shaking his head. "Genius." Jason and Ember starred down at Aiden with questioning and accusing looks.

"Do you have to act like that?" Alex asked.

"Yeah! Alex germs!" I said in a hoarse voice, sticking out my tongue.

"Just pretend it was Nate who did it! I _am_ Nate at the moment aren't I?"

"Well Nate wouldn't steal a kiss," I said, wiping my mouth with the pillow. "Except at that boys school but he wasn't himself but that's not the point." I tried to regain my posture. "Okay, you got your kiss. Switch."

Alex sighed. "Back pocket."

I gave him another look with my eyebrows cocked. "And you think I'm gonna reach back there?"

Alex smirked. "You'll have to if you want us switched."

"The things I do for Nate," I groaned, standing up.

I walked behind the chair and knelt down, seeing some weird rope-like thing in the back pocket of Nate's skinny jeans. After much hesitation I quickly grabbed the thing and shot back up.

"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" I repeated, wiping my hand on my side quickly and jumping around. I just touched Nate's but ew!! After regaining my composture, I let out a breath. "Okay... I got your handcuffs, now what?" I asked as Jason, Ember, and Aiden walked back into the room, having seen my 'moment.'

"Get Nate down here," Alex said unenthusiastically with a roll of his eye.

"Done and done!" Shane shouted, coming out of the elevator with a ding. Right on cue, too. He walked out with Nate in Alex's body, tied to a wheelchair.

I laughed. "Why?"

"To move him around?" Shane said as if it were obvious. "Once we switch these two back, no way am I going to carry this squirt back to the prison. And I added the ropes in case he tries to escape."

"He's got a sprained ankle. How can he escape?" I asked.

"You broke your leg and escaped the hospital," Nate reminded.

"... Shut up," I said while walking over.

I attached this claw thing to Nate's wrist, making it claw on like a handcuff. Then I attached it to Alex. All of a sudden I saw it glow and I jumped back. Alex's and Nate's heads dropped, their eyes closed.

After a few seconds Aiden spoke up. "...Are they dead?"

"They better not be or they've got another thing coming," I muttered with crossed arms.

Shane bent down to Alex's unconsious body and poked his head. "Yo kid, wake up."

His eyes short open. "Don't touch me!!!" Alex shouted, scaring Shane and making him fall backwards.

"Yup, Alex is definitly in there," Jason nodded.

I went over to Nate's body, him still asleep. "Nate, Nate wake up. Come on wake up buddy," I said, slapping his cheek a little.

His eyes opened a bit. "Ash?" He looked down lifting his foot and looked at Alex in his wheelchair. "I'm back!"

"About time!" I said, hugging him and making him blush again.

"I'll have some G.R.A.Y spies pick Alex up to take him back to the prison," Jason said, heading to the control room to make the call.

"Well, I'd say things are finally back to normal for now," Ember said, helping Shane up from his scare.

"One last thing," Nate reminded. "Can someone please get me out of this chair?"

"And I'll help you clean off that honey and leaves, too." I got some honey from the top of his nose and tasted it. "Hm, not bad."

Nate and I laughed as I started uniting the ropes.

--

"Still don't get why I have to be blindfolded," Ember said as Shane and the rest of us led her to my house at night.

"Because, that's why," I said, opening the door. After leading her to the kitchen, we found Mysti there with the huge decorated seven layered cake. I removed Ember's blindfold and her eyes widened.

"Happy birthday!" we all shouted.

"Oh my gosh," Ember said, covering her mouth. "I've always wanted a seven layered cake!"

"Thank Shane, it was his idea," Nate spoke up.

Shane grinned as Ember walked towards him. He opened up his arms expecting a hug, instead Ember walked passed him and to the cake to admire it. "Okay that's so not right," Shane whined.

Jason laughed at that then went over to Mysti. "How'd you manage to bake another cake and decorate it in time?" he asked curiously.

"I didn't," Mysti chuckled. "It's all frosting."

Jason raised his eyebrows. "A seven layered cake made entirely out of frosting.... Impressive," Jason nodded.

Ember smiled and turned around, hugging Shane. "Thank you, Shane!"

Shane blushed and laughed nervously. "No sweat, Ember."

I smiled. "Aw, isn't that sweet?"

"Not as sweet as that cake," Nate said, looking at it.

I laughed, linking my arm with Nate's. "I'm just glad you're back in your own body."

"I thought you'd be glad not to have to carry me anymore."

"Well, that too," I said.

"Hey," Nate laughed.

"Nate," Mr. Gray said, walking into the room. Everyone was silent. "I just got a call from your principal. It seems you had detention, then sneaked out after knocking out the teacher?"

All of us starred wide eyed then at Nate. "I did?" he simply replied.

"Um, Mr. G! Don't you worry about that!" I spoke up, taking out Alex's book. "I've got a perfectly logical explanation."

"Yeah, make switching bodies and flying to Canada seem logical," Nate mumbled.

"See, lately I've been reading about Reviving the Dead," I said, taking out that book from behind me. "And based on my research, Nate was possessed by a teacher-punching spirit."

Nate, Ember, Jason, and Shane starred at me with their mouths slightly open.

"But don't you worry, I took care of it no problem," I said with my grin as I tipped my cat ear hat.

Mr. Gray starred at me for a minute. "Whatever it is I don't wanna know," he said, walking away shaking his head.

After he left, I simply laughed, along with the others. Yup, all's good.

--

That night , Jason, Shane ,and Aiden sneaked down the firepole. They tip-toed into the control room and Aiden sat in the chair. He pressed a play-back button from the security tapes of the house and the screens lit up.

"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" I repeated, wiping my hand on my side quickly and jumping around.

The guys laughed, replaying the scene over and over. To them this moment was priceless.

Meanwhile Nate and I showed up behind them, both of us sleepy. We saw them laughing their heads off and looked at each other. Keeping my emotionless face I knocked on the wall three times and the control room's door slid shut. We leard the laughter from inside stop as they started shouting at us. Nate and I smiled and high fived each other before walking back upstairs together for sleep.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"In the forest area, an archaeologist exhibition was taken place. Recently all of the archaeologists have gone missing. It's your job to find them."_

_"We can do that," Nate said._

_"Be careful. Those woods aren't exactly normal."_

_"Normal," I repeated. "Mr. G do you remember who you're talking to?"_

_--_

_"And who are you? You're not supposed to be here," Jason said._

_She looked at Jason. "I-I'm Yai. I'm, visiting my parents and wandered here. I-I come here a lot."_

_--_

_Yai smiled. "Wow. Usually people my age would think it's a bunch of bologna. Only my Mom believes in this kinda stuff."_

_"Well you've got an awesome mom," I said._

_Yai smiled at me. "You have no idea."_


	42. Forest of Answers Pt1

Ash, Nate, Shane, and Jason go to Cape May down south on a mission to find missing researchers. But there, they meet a mysterious girl, Yai. Where did she come from? And why is she there? And why is she so close to Nate and Ash? In a side story, Ash is paired with Nate on the baby project, and are arguing over what to name their baby girl.

* * *

**Chapter 42: Forest of Answers Pt1**

"Okay, do you know what you're doing?" asked a man in a dark room filled with bright blinking monitiors.

The 14-year-old girl nodded. "I do."

"You better not mess anything up. It could alter-"

"Alter the good of mankind I know I know," the girl said. "Can I go now? This is one mission I _really_ want to do."

The man sighed. "You're too much like your parents."

"That's why I'm going back, to save them," the girl said. "And based on the stories Mom and Dad told me, they should be on a mission now at the old Cape May. I'll find them."

"Alright, you've got 24-hours to complete this mission," the man said. "And take off the hat. It could give you away."

The girl sighed and removed her hat which had cat ears on it. "There, no hat. Happy, Uncle?" With that, she left the man's office.

"Good luck Maiyaria," the man said once she was gone.

--**24 YEARS EARLIER--**

"Ashley please come up here," Mr. Wilson said during the middle of class.

Some of the class snickered, wondering what trouble I was in now.

"Go," Nate, my partner, whispered.

I got up from my seat and walked to the front of the classroom, ignoring Sharmane's smirk at me. "Yes?" I asked Mr. Wilson, somewhat nervous.

"It would seem you are failing my class," he said, making the class laugh, Sharmane specifically.

"Yes thank you for keeping that personal, Mr. Wilson," I said with sarcasm and a nod.

He smiled. "So I decided to give you an extra credit assignment."

"Depends, what kind?" I asked with a suspicous raised eyebrow.

"You know that in this time of year, the juniors do the baby project for my class."

"Shane," Nate said to himself, knowing Shane will be doing the baby project too.

"You'll be taking part in it," Mr. Wilson said.

My eyes widened. "Whoa, hold on. I'm doing a junior project with a junior baby and a junior as my husband?!" I panicked, this got the class laughing. I was always the type for class clown, for a girl that is. All the class clowns are guys now a days.

"Don't worry, you won't have to get a junior husband," Mr. Wilson said, making me sigh with relief. "You're having Nate as your husband."

"What?" Sharmane whispered.

"What's having who as a where now?" I asked.

"Either that or fail my class for the semester," Mr. Wilson said. "Your choice, Ashley."

"Don't worry Ash I'm okay with it", Nate spoke up, making the entire class go '_oooooooh_' like in an '_aw'_ way.

"Settle down, settle down," Mr. Wilson said. "After school come by my class and you can pick up your baby with the other juniors. I'll explain the project then."

With that the bell rang and we all left the class room, me being shy again after that awkward moment.

--

"So we have a baby," Nate said slowly, all of us in the living room. "How... unexpected."

"You're telling me Mr. _Don't worry Ash I'm okay with it_."

"You know that's a pretty long name for a baby," Nate nodded, making me laugh. "What are we gonna name her?"

"How do you know it's a her?" I asked.

"Well she has a pink diaper. I don't know any baby boys who wears pink diapers with little ducks on them," Nate said, holding the baby doll.

I laughed. "You know, I wanted a son, and yet you want a daughter. Is that weird?"

"I dunno. Why do you want a son?" Nate asked curiously.

"Because I think raising a boy would be interesting. Less drama. I won't have to spend all my money on access clothing," I chuckled. "Plus I spend most of my life _around _boys so I think I'd know what I'm doing. Why do you want a daughter?"

"One so I can spoil her and she can be daddy's little girl," Nate smiled, making me laugh. "So I'll always the be the only man in her life and I'll scare away any boy that comes near her." I laughed again. "Also because even though I have three brothers and a dad, you've been the only girl I've known my entire life. And, I'd want her to be just like you, good heart."

"Aw, tnat's so sweet," I said smiling. ".... I still want a son."

"Yeah well we have a daughter now," Nate said, picking up the paper birth certificate into the air and waving it in my face.

"We're back!" Shane and Ember said, coming in with Jason behind them. Ember was holding a baby doll while Jason and Shane held shopping bags.

"Where'd you guys go?" I asked with a laugh. It looked liek they just won the loterry and spent it all in a half hour.

"Baby shopping," Shane said with a smile, dropping the bags on the ground. "Diapers, food, that kinda stuff."

"It's not even a real baby," Nate said.

"Yeah but this year the babies are different," Jason explained to us, sounding annoyed. "You actually have to feed them, bathe them, and change their diapers otherwise you've got a b.o. baby."

I heard a fart from from Nate's hands and turned around, seeing Nate holding the baby far away from him. He had an awkward looking face too. "Hey Ember you think we can borrow a couple diapers?" he asked.

Ember laughed, holding her baby boy. "No problem, Nate."

"I still can't believe you two are doing this project too," Jason said,walking over behind the couch.

"It's for extra credit so I can pass," I told.

"But I can't believe we have to have the babies with the real baby features," Shane said.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun," Jason said.

"Says you. Last year you got the plain old plastic non-robotic babies," Shane retorted.

"Yeah. The joys of technology," Jason smirked.

"Mission," Mr. Gray announced, walking into the room.

"Yeah, while we fight bad guys, our babies can throw up on them," I said enthusiastically.

"Hey you think they can really throw up?" Shane asked, picking up his baby doll and inspetcing it for any special features.

"I'll take care of little Jayden," Ember said.

"You named him Jayden?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, Jayden Gray. Sounds pretty cool doesn't it?" Shane grinned.

"Not as cool as Ember Gray," I whispered to Nate, making us laugh. But Ember glared at us.

"Very funny, _Ashley_ Gray," Ember said in the same mocking term, making me glare at her.

"Ah, I guess we're all finally family then seeing as we're all Grays," Jason said, making me and Ember start hitting him with pillows and chase him around the living room. Nate and Shane watched, holding their baby dolls.

"I guess we'll be the house wives in our relationships," Shane said. "Seeing the girls are obviously more aggressive."

Mr. Gray smiled. "Well, now that this situation is somewhat settled, I'd like to tell you guys your mission."

"Well, I guess that means I'll be going," Ember said, taking her baby from Shane, and my baby from Nate. "Come on Jayden, no-name, time to spend the day with uncle Aiden."

"This is gonna be a long week for her won't it," I sighed.

"Alright, you guys will be going to Cape May down south," Mr. Gray explained, pressing the button on his remote. A map of New Jersey appeared on the screen and centered down south, at the very end of New Jersey. "In the forest area, an archaeologist exhibition was taken place. Recently all of the archaeologists have gone missing. It's your job to find them."

"We can do that," Nate said, taking it as an easy mission.

"Be careful. Those woods aren't exactly normal."

"Normal," I repeated. "Mr. G do you remember who you're talking to?"

He laughed. "Just be careful. Go on."

We ran to the elevator and to get to the jet upstairs on the roof.

--

"Alright, we're here," Jason said, looking out the window of the jet. "Nate, Ash, you guys pick a name yet?"

"I was just wondering about that," I said. "I want Maria."

"Maria?" Nate asked with a face. "I think Maiya is a better name."

"Well I'm the mom so I pick Maria."

"Well I'm the _dad_ so I pick Maiya."

"I gave birth to her. I think I should be obligated the right to pick our daughter's name."

"Then who do you think attatched their sperm to your egg," Nate said, until his face changed. "Okay that came out wrong."

"Ya think?" I said.

"Well I'm a guy so I should pick."

"Again I say what does being a guy have to do with things?"

"I don't know but it should be Maiya."

"Here we go again about guy-girl rights," I said, continuing our argument.

"Wow, they really seem like a married couple," Shane nodded.

"Yeah... You think if we video taped them they'd get extra points?" Jason suggested.

The jet landed and we all got off it. Out in the open woods, all we had were trees and dirt, and a cabin.

"Wow," I said as the jet took off. "I wonder where to start."

"We should scan the area, get a map of the place," Jason said, taking out his scanner.

"For the mean time, we should check out that cabin. Seems abandoned," Shane suggsted, us following him.

Nate opened the door and looked around from there. "Seems pretty big to be vacant."

"Explain all the dust then," I spoke up, checking a bookshelf.

"Well you can find dust anywhere," Nate said. "Maybe this is where the archaeologists stayed."

"Nope," said a girl's voice, coming into the room from another door. "This cabin's been abandoned for years. No one uses it anymore." The girl seemed 14 years old. She had short choppy brown hair and then a long strange of straight blue hair tied on the right right of her head. She had a light green shirt, multi-colored vest, grey fingerless gloves, a multicolored skirt, and boots..... Colorful.

"And who are you? You're not supposed to be here," Jason said suspicous.

She looked at Jason. "I-I'm Yai. I'm, visiting my parents and wandered here. I-I come here a lot."

She was lying somewhat. I could tell. But she seemed too nice to be lying for a bad reason. I smiled and walked up to her, holding out my hand. "I'm Ash. Nice to meet you." I turned my head around. "This is Nate, Shane, and Jason."

"Nice to meet you guys," she smiled, relieved we trusted her. "What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for some archaeologists. You seen anything around here?" Nate asked. "You seem to know this place well."

Yai shook her head. "No, sorry. But if you're going out there, you better be careful. These woods are different."

"How different?" Shane asked. "It's what our dad told us, too."

"See, in this forest, it has many legends," she said, walking around smiling and admiring the cabin. "One legend being the Time Tree."

"Time tree?" I repeated, making the earring on my cat ear hat move. I just met her and she already caught my attention.

Yai grinned and nodded. "Yeah. It says that every decade a bright red comet will fly across Cape May. And when it's visible in the moonlight, that's when the powers of the Time Tree activates." The guys starred at her as I listened intently to her story. "The comet will be flying over earth for only three days, so that's how rare it is."

"You know when the comet will be coming?" I asked curiously.

Yai shrugged. "Sometime around now I suppose. I don't know."

"You know any other rumors?" Jason asked. "Those archaeologists must have been here for something."

"There's always the Atrum Ruins," Yai said with a smile. "It's a place deep in the forest. Legend has it that the Atrum Ruins used to be a temple for the dark spirits."

Shane blinked. "Well that note will surely brighten up the mood overnight."

Yai chuckled. "DOn't worry. The temple is in ruins now. People have tried to investigate it, but have always seemed to run away last minute, as if they're hearing a great voice saying '_leave_' or _'beware_'. Some actually went missing looking for the ruins. Almost exciting if you ask me."

My eyes brightened. "Forget exciting. That seems too cool to resist!"

"And you got her started," Nate said with a wave of his arm. "Why would people want to visit evil worshiping grounds anyway?"

"According to the stories, there's a hidden treasure there," Yai told. "It's a treasure that can give the user power. And that's why so many people have tried to get it. Those who have failed, their souls would be taken and sealed away, frozen, like stone."

Nate starred. "You sure don't hear ghost stories like that anymore."

I laughed. "You think we could try and find it while we're here?"

"Did you not just hear her explanation?" Shane asked me in disbelief, wondering why I would _still_ was to go.

"Only certian people can," Yai said with a roll of her eyes. "People from a certain decent, blood of something I can't remember. I wasn't listening to my mom when she said that part. Too much rambling."

My face brightened. "You ignoring people's rambling?" I looked at the guys. "Guys I think I found my long lost twin sister."

Yai smiled. "Wow. Usually people my age would think it's a bunch of bologna. Only my mom believes in this kinda stuff."

"Well you've got an _awesome_ mom," I said.

Yai smiled at me. "You have no idea."

"Well while Ash has her girl moment," Shane said, making me glare. "I think it's time we should go investigate this place. With talk about evil spirits and destroyed temples, I don't think I want to stay away from home for too long. I wanna get back to Jayden."

"Jayden?" Yai asked.

I rolled my eyes. "We have a baby project back at home."

"Oh, cool. Who's your husband for the project? If you have any."

"Nate's my husband but we can't pick a name for our baby girl. I want Maria and Nate wants Maiya."

"Maria and Maiya?" Yai asked with a smile.

"Come on Ash, we've got to go," Nate called.

"Well, there's my cue," I said.

"Go ahead. I'll stay here," Yai said.

I smiled and nodded "Alright."

Suddenly she hugged me, not letting go. I made a face then looked at Nate who was just as confused. He shrugged his shoulders. Eventually she let go and I went off.

"We'll split up," Jason said.

"Why don't we just go into pairs like we usually do?" Nate asked, wanting to go with me to protect me.

"Because we can cover more ground individually," Jason explained. "I'll take north, Shane east, Nate south, and Ash west."

"Aw I wanted west," Shane whined.

"You get east," Jason said sternly, making him pout. "We'll meet back here before sundown. If it gets too dark and we're still out there, I don't think it's a situation anyone of us would want to be in, _Ash_."

I blinked. "Why me?"

"Because you always get _into_ those kind of situations," Jason said, making me roll my eyes. "You too, Shane."

"Why me too?"

"Because you always get Ash included in those dangerous situations."

"And I suppose you aren't gonna warn Nate because he's the 'good spy'," I assumed.

"Got that right," Jason nodded. Nate grinned while Shane and I glared at him. With that we all ran off into our separate directions.

--

I walked walking through the forest that contained so many legends like Yai said. The more I walked, the more I lost my train of thought about having to find those missing archaeologists. The out of nowhere, my dad came into mind, making me stop walking and pause.

"Weird.... I never think about my dad. Why now?" I shook my head and continued walking again. As I arrived in a clearing, my jaw dropped. In front of me was a broken down temple, the Atrum Ruins. Despite what Yai had told me hours ago, I walked towards the ruins.

"Whoa," I mouthed as my feet touched the stone ground. In a distance I saw a small hole, covered in rubble. I jumped over some pillars and over to the place. After rolling some of the rubble, it revealed a hidden stone staircase in the ground.

"I wonder if those archaeologists found this place yet," I said to myself. I looked around, seeing no one. I looked at my watch and realized it had no signal, which was odd since that never happens.

"Well I'm sure I'll be saved out of this situation eventually," I shrugged, going down the stairs and into the darkness, using my watch as a light. Unknowingly behind me, the stone staircase was covered on it's own, sealing the exit. The flat square stone glowed with light blue lines, then disappeared, as if the staircase never exhisted.


	43. Forest of Answers Pt2

_Ash, Nate, Shane, and Jason go to Cape May down south on a mission to find missing researchers. But there, they meet a mysterious girl, Yai. Where did she come from? And why is she there? And why is she so close to Nate and Ash? In a side story, Ash is paired with Nate on the baby project, and are argueing over what to name their baby girl._

* * *

**CHAPTER 43: Forest of Answers Pt2**

"Hello?" I called out, reaching the end of the last stair which scared me a bit. I adjusted my cat ear and and took a deep breath, walking forward. I didn't know whether there were any traps or anything. Occasionally saw a glow of light blue lines against the vines and stone walls. In a distance I saw a pillar, under the single sunlight coming from the top of the room. I looked up, seeing a round hole from the surface.

I walked up and towards the small pillar. On it was a strange hand-sized key. It was old rusty looking gold with a symbol on both sides. On the back was a Triquetra symbol. On the other side was a circle with a bunch of small circles on the inside, then a cross in the middle, the bottom part of the cross going down. These symbols represented something?

"_Take it,_" said a voice, making me jump. I looked around the dark room, seeing no one. I licked my lips and outstretched my hand, reaching for the key. Suddenly I felt something surge through my arm then my body. Within seconds, I closed my eyes and was lost into a deep, instant, sleep.

--**NATE'S POV--**

"Jason you find Ash?" Shane asked from the chair.

"I looked everywhere. I can't find her," Jason said, wet from the rain. "Should've expected she'd go missing."

"It's my fault, I should have been with her," I said guiltily.

"I-I'm sure she's somewhere," Yai said. "I know where to look."

"Okay kid, this is serious business," Shane lectured. "How can you possibly know where Ash is?"

"I know Ash better thank you think," Yai said in her defence. She turned her head towards me. "Nate you believe me don't you?"

I starred at Yai and her look of need in her eyes. "I don't know why, but with that look in your eye I believe you."

"You do?" Jason and Shane said at the same time in disbelief.

I nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why but you seem familiar."

Yai smiled and tackled me in a hug, me blinking in confusement.

"Weird, you think Nate likes Yai?" Shane whispered.

"No, she tackled him in a hug and he's not blushing so he doesn't like her," Jason whispered. "Maybe it's something else about her that makes Nate trust her so well."

We all left out into the rain, running through the forest. Yai ran down certain paths, as if she knew where she was going. It only got me more curious about her and where she came from. And this entire time she didn't even go back to visit her parents, wherever they were. But right now, my main concern was Ash.

"The Atrum Ruins," Yai said, stopping suddenly.

Jason heard his scanner beeping. "Weird, I'm getting a signal reaction from the archaeologists location here. Ash's too."

"So she did come here," Shane said unsuspectingly.

"Come on, we have to find her!" Yai said panicking, pulling on my wrist. After getting into the safely of the ruins from the rain, we followed Jason who had found her signal.

"Here, under here," Jason said, as we stopped by a giant square shaped tile. I knelt down to the ground, feeling it. I felt around, hoping it would trigger some secret passage. Then I put my ear to it, knocking on it. "There's something under here. Ash's down there." As I said that, thunder clapped in the sky.

"You hear anything else?" Yai asked, water dropping from her hair.

I heard this strange sound, similar to electrical buzzing. "Something zapping. I don't know."

"This is bad," Jason said. "How are we gonna get down there?"

"We use weapons," Shane said, taking out one of G.R.A.Y's toughest pocket knives, that grew larger like a sword. All of us stared with wide eyes. It wasn't exactly in the smartest hands, knowing Shane.

"Shane where did you get that?" I asked.

"Dad's workbench," Shane said, bringing it up. "AHHH!" he shouted, bringing it down onto the stone floor. We all closed our eyes hearing a crash. We looked and saw the sword dented. Shane stood back up straight, picking up his dented sword too. He held it up, now shaped like an L. "My knife!" he said in a crying voice.

Jason shook his head. "There's gotta be another way to get underground."

"Wait," Yai said, closing her eyes and keeping us silent. She listened to her surroundings, making us look around. "I hear running water, an echoing dripping," she explained slowly. Then she started running, making us run after her.

"Yai wait! Slow down!" I shouted, doing my best to keep up with her. We arrived behind the temple back out in the rain. In the ground we saw a hole in the stone floor, water heading down it. We looked down, seeing a red and black light.

"Ash!" I shouted, hoping some kind of reaction. But I knew she was down there. "Geez Ash why do you always get yourself into these kinds of things?"

"Guys, back up," Jason said, taking something out of his pocket and pressing its button.

"A bomb..." Yai whispered, her eyes widened in fear.

It started blinking red and my eyes widened. As Shane and Jason jumped into the bushes. I stopped, realizing Yai was just standing there, starring at the bright red light. The beeping gone faster and I ran at her, tackling her and landing onto the ground. The explosion set off a second later, collapsing the stone into rubble beneath.

"Yai you have to be carefull," I said, looking bak at Yai who was a bit paralyzed.

"B-Bomb..." Yai whispered. Eventually she blinked her eyes shut tight and reopened them. "I-I'm sorry. My parents died from a bomb."

"Oh," I said in realization and sympathy, knowing why she seemed so scared now.

Suddenly she hugged me tightly again, crying into my already wet jacket. "Nate? Promise me you and Ash will be more careful in these kinds of things in the future?"

Confused, I nodded and helped her back up, Yai wiping her eyes.

"Nate let's go!" Jason shouted, he and Shane jumping down. I picked up Yai and jumped down too, landing at the bottom. As I looked up, all of the rain came down with thunder and lightning. And to my surprise, I saw Ash there, in mid air being held by this weird dark energy. Her eyes were glowing red, as her body was positioned like a rag doll.

"Ash!" I shouted as Yai got out of my arms.

"Oh no," Yai said worryingly again.

"Ash!" Shane shouted, running at her. Only for him to be hit by this weird black electricity. It shocked him, making him roll back onto the floor. Jason, Yai, and I ran to help him.

"Shane, Shane you ok?" Jason asked.

"N-Never better," Shane coughed.

I looked back at Ash. "What's happening to her?"

"The darkness of the Atrum Ruins," Yai said. " That key around her neck, it's supposed to contain a special magic, and absorbs the power around it. It chose Ash as its host, so now Ash is absorbing all of the darkness of the temple."

Shane looked at Yai with a face. "I don't know much about this darken magic stuff but that's bad right?"

I turned towards my brother. "No Shane I'm sure once Ash absorbs all of the darkness she'll come back home and feed baby Jayden some poison banana mush."

"Either way we've got to get her back," Yai said near tears. "If she's like that for too long, Ash will be gone."

I licked my lips and stood, running.

"Nate get back here!" Jason shouted.

"No! I've got to save Ash!" I shouted back, ignoring the rain.

"Argh, trouble always revolves around those two," Jason groaned.

Yai smiled a little. "That's because they love each other.... my parents..." Yai closed her eyes. "They'll definitely be alright."

Shane and Jason looked at Yai then back at me. I climbed up the pillars, ignoring the shocking pain from all that dark energy. "Ash!" I yelled, grabbing onto her hand. It only shocked me more, and almost made me fall from the pillar. I looked and saw all of that dark energy being sucked into that key hovering by her chest.

"One shot Nate." I jumped and grabbed the key, falling down, fast. Jason and Shane caught me at the bottom just barely. All of that darkness energy sank into the ground, and out of the key in my hands. It glowed a bright light, and when it cleared, a bunch of archaeologists where here, laying on the ground unconscious. The rain stopped, revealing the clear moonlit sky filled with stars.

I looked up at Ash and saw her red glowing eyes shut. She started to fall back down and we caught her too, all of us starring down at her. She looked exhausted, from my point of view anyway.

"Ash," I said, hugging her against me. I smiled, holding her tight.

Jason smiled. "Hey, our watches are working now."

Shane smiled, too. "Call for back up so we can get some help for these people."

"Already done," Jason said, putting his wrist back down. "Yai thank you so much for your-" Shane and Jason looked, seeing Yai was no longer here. "Yai?" The two brothers looked at each other confusingly then back at me and Ash.

--

"Well, Ash can rest here in the cabin for a little bit," I said, some more G.R.A.Y agents getting the archaeologists back into a jet outside. "You guys sure you didn't see Yai anywhere?" It was night now, about to be sunrise pretty soon.

"Yeah, sorry little bro," Shane apologized.

I nodded, looking down. "Oh well. Somehow I have a feeling I'll see her again sometime in the future. I don't know why, but I know I will."

Jason shook his head. "You and your rambling. Sometimes I think you're hanging around Ash too much."

Shane looked at his older brother. "Jase, 13 years _is_ too much."

"I didn't say 13 years," Jason said. "For all we know they could have been best friends in past lives. In the prehistoric times, in the great depression. I can already imagine Ash and Nate stealing a knight's horse in the medieval times."

I smiled and shook my head, starring down back at a sleeping Ash, holding her hand.

"Hey Jason, Shane," said one of the G.R.A.Y agents, coming into the cabin. "This letter's for you. Some little girl gave it to me."

Shane's eyes widened as Jason took the letter. "Thank you," Jason said. As the spy walked out, Jason and Shane went to the kitchen to read the letter. "It's from Yai."

_Dear Jason and Shane,  
It was great to meet you all. It was a dream come true. And it's all thanks to that Time Tree and comet. Today is actually the third day of the comet, so once it's sunrise, I'll be gone, back to my own time in the future. I came here to meet you all for a reason, two reasons actually. One so I could see my parents still alive, and as kids. The other reason, so that I can change the future, so that a bomb won't kill my parents. What I said to my dad, I hoped it will help, so he and my mom will live. Sorry if this letter doesn't make any sense, but I couldn't just leave without leaving anyone a clue. Thank you. And please, Jason, Shane, protect my parents.  
Maiyaria Gray_

Jason's and Shane's eyes widened. "Oh my God," they said at the same time.

Shane looked at Jason. "So Yai's..."

"And Ash and Nate are..."

"In the future they'll..."

Jason looked up. "We're uncles in the future."

Shane blinked, his mouth still hung open. "Wait, Yai said that that comet comes every decade. And, that comet is here now. So, where she came from, the comet must be there too and a decade is ten years so..."

"Yes Shane we all know a decage is made of of ten years. Where are you getting at-"

"That means we'll be uncles in ten years," Shane said, making Jason freeze.

"Of all times for you to be good at math, why now," Jason said at Shane.

Shane took the letter and unfolded the bottom part that he just noticed. "P.S. Shane, in case your wondering, my baby cousin Jayden is doing just fine. I'm not saying who the mom is though- YAI!!!!!"

Jason raised his eyebrows. "Wow. I guess Nate's not the only father." He laughed. "Wait until I tell Ember about the P.S-"

"Dude we are sooo nottelling anyone about this," Shane said, grabbing Jason's shirt with a threatning look on his face. Jason, of course, only found it funny.

Before teh two brothers could start a fist fight, they heard a pebble being thrown at the window they were in front off. Shane let go of Jason's shirt and they both looked to the side. There they saw Yai standing outside. Instead she wore the girls black G.R.A.Y uniform. Yai took out a cat ear hat from her bag and placed it on her head, waving and grinning. The minute the sun came up, she disappeared into thin air, the two brothers starring in disbelief.

"I can't believe it..." Shane breathed out.

"I still can't believe Ash and Nate are having a daughter in the future..." Jason said with a face. "They're so young looking at them right now."

Shane licked his lips. "You think Yai has any siblings?"

The two looked at each other and shuddered.

"Stick to baby dolls for now," Jason nodded, trying to erase some images from his head.

--**ASH'S POV--**

"So... you guys pick a name yet?" Jason asked from the awkward silence

"Nope," I said, looking out the jet window. "Still think Maria's better."

"Still like Maiya," Nate said back.

"And what's with Shane?" I added with an attitude. "The entire time he looked like he's seen a ghost."

"N-Not exactly a ghost," Shane stuttered, still not getting over the fact that we'd be having a daughter.

Jason shook his head. "Listen, the _name_ itself counts as half the grade for the baby project. I think you'll fail if your baby's final birth certificate says No-Name Gray." You guys gotta come up with a name that you can both agree on."

"No wonder this isn't a freshman project," I mumbled.

Jason smiled, remembering the signing on the letter from Yai. "...How about Maiyaria?"

"What?" Nate asked.

"Well it's a mixture of Maiya and Maria. Sounds weird but it'd work," Jason shrugged.

I looked at Nate. "Maiyaria sounds good."

"Okay then, Maiyaria Gray it is," Nate said smiling.

"AHHH!" Shane cried, latching onto Jason's shoulder. "It's too soon! Ahhhh!" he sobbed.

Nate blinked. "You sure he's alright?"

"He will be," Jason said with a laugh.

I shook my head. "Typical Shane. Anyway Nate, thanks for saving me back there again."

Nate laughed. "It's fine. When they said that forest wasn't normal, they meant it."

"You have no idea," Jason mumbled.

"Anyway, I think you should have this," Nate said, holding that key. "It's evil-proof now so I think you should have it. I added a chain so it's a necklace."

"Aw, thanks," I said as he put it around my neck. "Weird, it was rusty gold last time I saw it. Now it's shining silver."

"That's symbolism for ya," Nate laughed.

"Too soon, ahhh!" Shane sobbed, making me and Nate laugh. Oh boy.

Suddenly Nate made a face. "Hey wait. Earlier Yai said she was visiting her parents."

"And?" I asked.

"Just before, she told me her parents died from a bomb explosion," Nate said confused, trying to figure it out.

Jason's eyes widened from Nate's suspicion. "M-Maybe she was, uh, visiting their graves. M-Maybe her parents were buried, there."

Nate thought for a moment then shrugged. "Probabaly."

"I hope she's alright. I didn't even say goodbye," I pouted.

"Well, I'm sure we'll see her again, eventually," Nate said.

"Stop, saying that!" Shane sobbed, only making all of us laugh.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"Okay I've officially lost it. I'm hearing the voices of a narrator, and I'm in Cinderella- Oh I'm where now?" _

_"Aderella!!" shouted more voices downstairs._

_"No way," I mouth. _

_--_

_"Uh," I stammered as they ran up to me. "H-Hi...?"_

_Shane looked at me. "Weird, what happened to Ash? She looks like she's never seen a ghost before."_

_"So much for the mice," I muttered, blinking my eyes._

_--_

_"Make me cry," I demanded._

_"Ow!" I shouted as Shane poked me in the arm with a thorned wooden stick._

_"Shane!" Jason and Nate shouted._

_"Well she said to make her cry," Shane said._


	44. Cinderella Aderella Parallela Pt1

_Ash wakes up and finds herself in a weird place, with a strange storyline of Cinderella. When she expects talking mice and a fairy godmother, boy is she wrong. Can she complete the story and get the fairy tale ending, or will she be stuck as servant girl forever? There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**CHAPTER 44: Cinderella Aderella Parallela Pt1**

__

Here in Wycklove Kingdom, lived a wonderful tale of a beautiful princess to be. Too bad the unwanted, what was she had yet to see. Each acquaintance of her's, either friend or foe, are to appear in this story, it'll make you go 'whoa'.

I know I did.

I tossed left and right in a surprisingly soft mattress. I didn't feel any of that hard cloth or springs. I opened my eyes and stretched my arms, feeling cold. That was when I realised, I wasn't in my bedroom. "Eh?" I looked around. I was in a giant, wooden room, the wood dark brown. I looked down and threw off my covers, seeing I was wearing a long blue, long-sleeved night gown. "What the..."

I got out of bed, slowly. Being a spy, it was natural for me to act like this. I had no idea what my surroundings were. "Hello?"

__

And now begins, the tale of Aderella

.

My head shot up and I looked around. "Who said that?"

__

You are in the story of Cinderella. Except... parallel.

I blinked, my eyes wandered left and right. "Ok I've officially lost it. I'm hearing the voices of a narrator, and I'm in Cinderella- Oh I'm where now?" I looked at my hair, it was still short black and choppy. No cat ear hat, though. I was bear foot, and all I had in the room was a door, a dresser, something to change behind, a bathroom, and a bed. ".... Now this is my kinda room. Wait, focus. I'm in Cinderella. What's the story.... I forgot the story."

__

Now look who's talking to herself.

"You keep quiet!" I shouted into the air.

"Aderella!" shouted a voice from downstairs.

I groaned. "That must be my joyful step-mother and preppy step-sisters." I got dressed into another blue knee length dress with elbow length sleeves. The skirt part was brown and I tied a white around around my waist. I put on flat shoes and looked in the mirror. "Not bad for an amatuer Cinderella."

"Aderella!!" shouted more voices downstairs.

I sighed. "Oh boy. There better be mice."

After going down the long flight of stairs, I arrived at the bottom of a huge mansion that made my jaw drop. Who cares if I'm a servant this place is great!

"Aderella!!" Ms. Autumn said in a long dark red dress with shoulder pads and the like, making my eyes widen.

"No way," I mouth. _Ms. Autumn's_ my step mom?

"About time you got here," Sharmane said in the same prissy tone. She was wearing a yellowish gown, Ember behind her in a violet gown.

My eyebrows raised. I can understand Sharmane being one of my evil step sisters but _Ember_? Well, at least she not talking to me mean.

Sharmane looked at Ember. "Insult her!"

Ember winced. "Y-you idiot?"

Sharmane and I gave her a look.

"Hopeless," Ms. Autumn mumbled before turning to me. "Now, Aderlla. I want you to do the daily chores and finish them, spotless," she said, giving me a _long_ paper of chores. But no, it's in parchment and calligraphy. Yeah, the fanciness makes me feel so much better.

"Uh, w-will do," I said, taking the paper, only for it to drop longer than I thought.

Sharmane snickered while Ember looked away shyly, as if guilty. Once Sharmane and my step mom left the room, Ember walked to me. "I am so sorry about this Aderella," Ember apologized. "When we go out to shop, I'll sneak in for you an extra piece of bread."

I laughed. "Um, thanks Ember. And please, until I get my head straightened out, call me Ash."

Ember looked at me strangely but nodded.

"Ember hurry up!" Ms. Autumn shouted from the front door. Ember ran, picking up the front of her. I sighed and waved as they shut the door. "Well, all alone... in a mansion.... with a long list of chores..... Ok now I could really use some mice! Where are my best friends?!"

"We're commin Ash!" I heard Nate's voice say. My eyes widened and I looked up, seeing Nate, Shane, and Jason sliding down the long stair banisters made of marble. Except, the strangest thing was, they were, colorless, transparent, and they're WEARINGS JEANS! As in not mice! Well I didn't expect for the _guys_ to be mice because that would be even more weirder, but..... jeans! Aren't we in the medieval times?!

"Uh," I stammered as they ran up to me. "H-Hi."

Shane looked at me. "Weird, what happened to Ash? She looks like she's never seen a ghost before."

"You ok?" Jason asked.

I blinked my eyes, trying to process this through my brain. ".... Hey Narrator a little help?!"

__

You have ESP. Instead of speaking to mice, you speak to ghosts.

Nate looked around like the rest of us. "Ok even for us, that was weird. Where'd that come from?"

"I, don't know," I answered truthfully. But I had to come up with a lie..... I'll say what I said last time I ended up in some parallel universe. "I hit my head and lost my memory."

"Oh, are you ok?" Nate asked, sticking his arm through my head, making me raise my eyebrow. He blushed and took back his arm. "Sorry, I, keep forgetting that my arm goes right through you."

"Yeah, always pretend your human," Shane said, rolling his eyes.

"Uh, it's fine," I said, still a bit confused. "For the meantime I have to do all of this stuff for dear mum," I said, starring at the long list.

"Don't worry about that, Ash. If you don't remember, we _always_ help you with your chores," Jason said.

"You do?" I asked with a small smile.

"One because you're the only girl who can actually talk to us," Joe pointed out, making me laugh. "Second because we have ghost powers which come in handy."

I smiled. "Oh really. Show me then."

Nick smiled, "Gladly, Aderellea." Nick picked me up by the back of my shoulders and lifted me into the air. I was laughing as he flew around the whole mansion, Kevin and Joe following the suit. And in much less time than expected, I had finished all of my chores on the list, down from cleaning the roof to dusting the floors.

"That was quick," I said, admoring the grand living room. "Went faster than I thought."

"That's because you were laughing and having fun the whole time," Nick said. "Not every day you're in this much of a good mood."

I shrugged. "Well, maybe it's just something making me act this way. Ain't that right Narrator."

__

Right

.

Jason looked around again. "That still scares the creeps out of me."

"So, let me get this straight," Shane said. "You hit your head so you can't remember things, yet you can predict the future, and you're actually comfortable with Nate calling you Ash instead of Aderella now."

I just laughed and grinned. I had to make up some stuff, go along with some other stuff. And I sort of know the story of Cinderella so you can say I can predict the future, kinda. Basically I just hoped that once I get to the end of this Cinderella story I'll be able to get back into normalsville.

"We're home!" Sharmane shouted, slamming the large corridoor open and knocking over a pail of soap water. I slapped my forehead and groaned. Figures Sharmane would do that. "Whoops, missed a spot, Aderella."

"_Missed a spot Aderella_," Shane coppied trying to immitate her, making Nick and Kevin laugh and me smile.

"Clean that up at once!" Ms. Autumn said, walking up the staircase with her daughters, not seeings my ghost friends. Ember turned around and gave me a piece of bread smiling. I smiled back and mouthed thank you to her. Once Sharmane and Ms. Autumn were gone, I ate the bread like there was no tomorrow.

"Mm this is so good," I said. "I never knew bread could taste so wonderful."

"You seem hungry," Nate laughed.

"Well I've been working all day and I haven't even gotten anything to eat. Duh I'd be hungry," I said. "Want some?"

Nate smiled apologetically. "Thanks, and I would, but I can't eat."

"Oh yeah, ghost," I said, forgetting that. How can I forget he's a ghost when's he's transparent and colored blue gray?

"Ember's pretty cool, sneaking in food for you like that," Shane said, looking up the staircase where she previously walked. "And a great sense of humor, better than her sisters' and Mom, not including you so no offence."

"None taken," I said with a full mouth, finishing the bread. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you guys ghost teens anyway, if I didn't already know."

"Ah, we just died early deaths like some normal people do," Jason shrugged, Nate and Shane nodding and saying unenthusiastic yeahs and uh-huhs. I blinked, seeing as how they've taken death so, easily. Let alone explained it so easily.

"Don't you guys miss being human?" I asked.

"Nate obviously does," Joe laughed. "Jase and I think being ghosts is way better. People can't hear you make fun of them, and you can fly. Nothing beats flying."

"What about breathing underwater?"

Shane looked at me. "Ok maybe that but we're in a mansion where the only water is in a wooden bucket. Unless your head is drowning in that bucket, I deem flying better."

I shook my head, laughing, until a knock on the door was heard. I walked over to get it and opened it, revealing another familiar face. "Mysti?" I asked surprised. She was wearing some sort of uniform, and pants. Not too often you see a girl wearing pants around this place.

"Ash is that you?" Mysti asked, her hand feeling the top of my head and messing up my hair, if it wasn't already. "Good thing you're the one who openned the door. Got a letter for you and the devils, from the royal family."

"Huh?" I asked with a tilted head. She still had her bandages around her eyes and she was delivering mail? She can't even walk straight here. What happened to the independent Mysti that could see and sniff anything from a hundred mile radius even though blind?

"Just read it. I can't," Mysti said, handing me a letter. "That _is_ the letter isn't it?"

"Don't worry, it is," I laughed.

Mysti smiled. "Great. Well, I've gotta go deliver the rest. I came to your house first."

"Alright, good luck and be careful," I said unsure as she turned around and hit a bush. I winced, along with the guys behind me.

Jason went out immediately before Mysti could fall and caught her. I was surprised Jason could actually touch her.

"How did Jason...?"

"He's the only one who can touch Mysti," Nate explained to me. "As a human he kissed Mysti. That's why he can still touch her."

"Aw, how sweet," I said smiling until my face change. "As a where who kissed what now?"

"Yup," Shane said with an arm around Nate. "Believe it, love it, or in Nate's case, envy it."

"Shut up," Nate said elbowing Shane since I didn't hear that last part.

I starred at the door as Jason guided Mysti, not knowing that her deceased friend was looking out for her. "Even in here those two like each other... And they already kissed here too."

"So what's the letter?" Nate asked, walking up to me.

My head jumped, remembering the letter. "A letter to the ball."

"A what?"

"Like I said, I can predict the future," I said, heading up the stairs. "If you'll excuse me, I have to deliver this to Madame peach fuzz and her two yin yang daughters."

I left Nate and Shane downstairs as I made my way upstairs. Hearing music down the hall, I followed it. I peeked inside and saw ms. Autumn playing the piano, Ember playing the flute, and Sharmane singing, well, trying to sing. Not to compliment her or anything, but she sounded way better back home than now. She can't carry a tune without making someone go deaf here. And here Ember's playing the flute, yet watching Sharmane sadly. I bet Ember could sing better than Sharmane.

"Um, excuse me," I said walking into the room.

"What?!" Ms. Autumn snapped, playing a bunch of loud notes on the piano, thus making everyone stop and wince.

"A letter from the prince," I said, holding out the white envelope.

"The prince?!" Sharmane shouted, grabbing it from me. "Oh I bet it's a letter to me, proclaiming his hidden and undying love for me! Oh that prince him!"

"Gag me," I muttered.

"Gag me," I muttered.

Ms. Autumn swiped the envelope from Sharmane, opening it. Her eyes widened in delight, but her mouth kept the same. "You _are hereby invited to the Prince's Grand Ball, where he shall be looking for a bride_."

"A bride?" Ember and Sharmane asked at the same time. But Sharmane was more excited, Ember being more upset.

"_At the Ball he shall dance with and choose his princess to be, to whom he shall share all his love and riches with... _Hm. Are you girls thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Oh boy," I sighed. Can this be any more predictable?

"Oh! I've got to get new hair ribbons! And gowns! And pearls!" Sharmane nagged.

Ms. Autumn smirked, placing the letter into her dress pocket. "Come then. We shall go shopping for your Grand Ball needs. The prince shall choose one of you, and we will obtain his riches."

"Who cares about his riches when he's soooo dreamy!" Sharmane sighed with hearts in her eyes.

"C-Can I go too?" I asked. I didn't know who my prince was. But since I'm the main character in this crazy world, I'm going to go there, get my kiss, and live happily ever after, and hopefully never come back here again.

Sharmane laughed hysterically, making me glare. "You?! Go, to the ball?! Hahahaha!"

"Of course," Ms. Autumn said calmly, making Sharmane and Ember look at her, both surprised. "If you can finish your chores."

"But I've already-"

"Well do them again," Ms. Autumn cut off. "If you finish your chores again and find a gown, you can come with us to the ball."

"Thank you," I said to her as she and Sharmane walked out of the room.

"Mother are you crazy?!" Sharmane harshly whispered.

"I did say _if_," she said, smirking.

"Ohhh," Sharmane said, making me roll my eyes.

"Half way there," I sighed, almost finished with this story.

"I can stay home and help your with your chores if you want, Ash," Ember said, still holding her flute.

I smiled at her. "No thank you, Ember. You should go, prepare for the ball." She smiled and looked down. I sighed and walked over to her. "You know, instead of Sharmane you should be the one singing."

At that Ember's head shot up liek toast out of a toaser. How I wish we even had a toaser in this mansion. "W-What? No way, I can't sing."

Now I know what Nick felt like when he was tyring to get me to sing all those years. "Of course you can. Anyone can sing. You just need to find a good reason. The better your reason, the better you sound."

"I don't follow."

"Like... Sharmane. She's only singing so she can impress people and show off. And we all know she can't sing for her life." That got Ember to laugh. "Why would you want to sing?"

Ember shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I, guess in general I love singing. It's a beautiful thing really. I just, _can't_ sing."

"Well, I bet all my money, if I had money, that you can sing," I said, patting the back of her dress. "Now, I've got to get all these chores done so I can get to that ball. Even I have just as much a chance to win the prince's heart as Sharmane."

I walked out of the room, leaving Ember. Now to repeat my day, doing this thing.

"You guys hear that?"Shane asked. "Ash can finally get out of this place and have some fun if she finishes all her chores again."

"If," Jason repeated. "She has only what, three hours."

"Ah she can do it," Shanee scoffed. "Did you not see her today while she was cleaning? Ash was doing all these flips and tricks I didn't even know she could do! _We_ can't even do those, and we can fly."

"She also said she needs a gown," Nate said. "She doesn't have a ball gown. She's not going, end of story. Let's go haunt the town again."

"Whoa there little brother," Shane said, grabbing the back of Nick's ghostly shirt. "You don't want Ash to go to the ball because she might fall for prince charming."

"What, that, that is so not true!" Nate retorted. "I, just think it's inappropriate for Ash to.... have to walk in high heels."

Jason raised an eyebrow at Nate. "Ok that's a dumb reason. Don't you want for Ash to be happy?"

Nate looked away. "I guess."

"Let her go to the ball," Jason said.

"How can she though? She doesn't have a dress."

"Then we'll make one," Jason said.

"We will?" Nate and Shane asked.

Jason nodded. "Yeah, don't worry, I got a plan." Nate and Shane looked at eachother, wondering how they were going to make a gown, considering they had no idea how.

--

"Phew," I said at the base of the stairs.

"Hey Aderella," Nate said, flying down the staircase and sitting beside me. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Finished all my chores..... And I forgot about the dress. How can I forget something like that? I'm so stupid."

"No you're not," Nate defended. "Go to your room. The guys and I have something for you."

"You made me a dress?" I asked.

Nate looked at me. "How'd you-"

"Predict future remember?" I said, standing up. "But what I don't understand is _how_ you made the dress. You have birds help you?"

"Um, not exactly birds," Nate said, scratching the back of his neck. "Just come on."

We went to the wooden stairs and up all the way. Nate flew through my door and I turned the knob, walking in. And inside, I saw one of the most beautiful dresses ever. "Wow." It was a beautiful white dress with all bunches of patters. And it glimmered wonderfully in the moonlight. "Guys this is amazing."

"I knew you'd like it," Jason smiled.

"How'd you make it?" I asked smiling.

"Spider silk," Jason answered, making me jump.

"I knew you'd hate it," Shane smiled.

"No, I don't hate it, just a little.... freaked out," I said. "Spider silk?"

"Yeah, as ghosts we can talk to spiders," Jason said as a bunch of spiders crawled out from under my bed. And surprisingly, I wans't screaming. "Pretty cool ain't it?"

"Um, I guess," I said, blinking. "But, I've gotta admit, this is a really great thing you guys did for me."

"Yeah yeah now go put it on princess," Nate said, smiling,. Though on the inside he was wishing I didn't have to go.


	45. Cinderella Aderella Parallela Pt2

_Ash wakes up and finds herself in a weird place, with a strange storyline of Cinderella. When she expects talking mice and a fairy godmother, boy is she wrong. Can she complete the story and get the fairy tale ending, or will she be stuck as servant girl forever? There is no sub-plot._

* * *

**CHAPTER 45: Cinderella Aderella Parallela Pt2**

"Alright girls, are you ready?" Ms. Autumn said to Sharmane and Ember.

"Yes mother," they said in unison.

"Wait!" I shouted, surprising them. "Wait for me!"

"Aderella?!" Sharmane said in disgust, seeing me.

"What are you wearing?" Ms. Autumn asked with that glint in her eye.

"My dress," I said, twirling around in it.

"It's beautiful," Ember smiled making me smile at her.

"You freak!" Sharmane said, wearing up the dress. And being spider silk, it was very fragile. "You're wearing this kind of dress? Pathetic."

I glared at her, my dress now ruined. Though expected for it, I had to glare at her. Well, either way I would glare a her.

"Sharmane," Ember said at her sister.

"Come along girls," Ms. Autumn said, heading out the door. "Goodnight, Aderella."

"Boo hoo," I said boredly as the door shut.

"Ash!" Nate shouted, flying down the stairs as I made my way back outside ti the backyard.

"What?" I asked.

"Are you okay?" Nate asked. "I mean, I thought you'd be upset they did that to your dress."

I smiled at his concern as we walked outside. "Nah, it's okay. Though I'm upset such a beautiful dress is gone, I knew it was going to happen."

"Oh yeah," Nate said. "So, what's going to happen now?" he asked as his brothers flew out too.

"My Fairy Godmother," I said. "But I have to cry."

"Cry?" Nate repeated.

"Yeah, it's what'll get her to come," I said. I breathed in, and then out. ".... Ok I can't cry."

"So what do you want us to do about it?" Jason asked.

"Make me cry," I said.

"What?" Nate asked bewildered.

"I don't know. Punch me or something."

Nate starred at me like I was insane. "Ash, let me remind you we're ghosts. We can't touch you. And even if we could, there's no way we'd punch you-"

"Ow!" I shouted as Shane poked me in the arm with a thorned wooden stick.

"Shane!" Jason and Nate shouted.

"Well she said to make her cry," Shane said.

"Cry as in tears, not cry as in pain!" I shouted, holding my arm. Suddenly we heard this strange sound in the wind, we shielded out eyes and I smiled. My Fairy God..... mother? In front of us was a little boy in strange clothing, a genie.... "Aiden?"

"Hey, how do you know my name?" he asked.

"This should be the other way around," I said, remembering I should be asking him that. "W-What are you doing here? Where's my Fairy Godmother?"

Aiden laughed. "Geez is this funny. I'm not a Fairy Godmother, that's crazy." I looked at hm strangely. "I'm your Genie God brother!"

"My who now?"

".... Boy is this weird," Shane said. "What are you supposed to do?"

"_I_ can grant Ash here 3 wishes," Aiden said, walking up to me. "A wish that can, get her to the ball maybe?"

I still starred in disbelief at him, totally not having expected this. "Close enough."

"Alright, make your three wishes," Aiden said, rubbing his hands.

I smirked. "For my first wish, I wish for all the necessities for my going to the Ball."

I swear I heard a record scratch as Aiden looked at me. "What? All that into one wish? No individual needs?..... You're good."

I laughed. "Thank you. I'll save my other two wishes for later, Aiden."

"But it's a pretty big wish. I need something that'll provide me with power as the base," Aiden said. Boy was it weird hearing him sound so technical. And there isn't even any technology in this world.

"I've got a tambourine," Shane said, suddenly holding a ghostly tambourine.

I blinked. "Where'd you get that?"

Aiden shrugged. "Close enough." He shot his hands towards the tambourine and this purple gas appeared, making us all cough. When it went away, in front of me was a carriage, that looked somewhat similar to a tambourine.

"Whoa," I said.

"I've always wanted to ride in my own tambourine!" Shane grinned, starring at it proudly.

"It needs horses to pull it though," Aiden said.

"My spiders," Jason said as four of them crawled out.

Aiden pondered then shrugged, aiming his hands at the four black creatures. The purple gas flooded the area, making us all cough again.

"Again with the purple gas," I coughed out, trying to blow it away. But then I saw four tall black horses in front of the carriage, neighing like real horses.

"Now the last part," Aiden said, looking at Nate.

Nate blinked. "Who me?"

"Yes you. You've gotta contribute something too, lover boy. Pay up," Aiden said, holding out his hand, making me chuckle.

Nate reached inside his pocket, hoping to find something. Instead he found a guitar pick.

"That's it?" Shane asked. "Yes, very contributive, Nate."

Aiden did his thing as we all coughed once again at the purple smoke. When it cleared, I looked around for any change. I didn't see anything. I heard something ring and I looked up, seeing I had a cat ear hat with a guitar pick hanging from the side as an earring.

"A hat," Jason asked. "Your guitar pick became a hat."

"Sorry Ash," Nate apologized.

"No I love it," I said, holding it on my head. "If I could I'd hug your right now," I said, making Nate blush on his pale ghost skin.

"Still needs a dress," Shane said.

"I can do that," Aiden said, once again doing that purple gas thing. Once we could all breath again, I found myself in a sparkling light gold dress. It had long silk elbow length gloves and my hair was tucked away underneath my black and white cat ear hat.

"Wow," Nate said. "You look... great."

"You guys 'oughta watch her," Aiden said. "Now get to the ball, you have until-"

"Midnight, I know," I said hopping into the carriage with the guys. "Thanks again Aiden!"

"See you soon for your two wishes!" Aiden said, disappearing in a poof of purple smoke as the carriage drove away. I smiled, looking out the window as we drove through the town. It was amazing, definitely different from the city.

--

I arrived at the front of the castle, just like in Cinderella. I could hear the ballroom music from inside, just like a real princess story..... MAKE IT EEEEND!

"You nervous?" Nate asked.

"You can say that," I said. "What if the prince doesn't like me? I'll be stuck here- I mean, never get my memory back."

Jason arched his eyebrows. "How can the prince liking you get rid of ammnesia?"

"I don't know but it's what I'm supposed to do," I said walking forward, Shane, Jason, and Nate looking at each other in confusement. As the doors opened, I walked down the red carpet and around a hallway. Then there, I saw it, the ballroom.

Every maiden was being introduced to the prince on his throne. The prince had sandy blond hair, and was wearing one of those prince outfits with those yellow shoulder pads and the little strings hanging from it. He also wore black shoes and white gloves, the whole prince enchilada.

"Sharmane and Ember of Helga Autumn," Mysti announced with a horn fanfare. As the two walked down the red carpet, Sharmane rushed and walked faster than Ember, both bowing and holding their dresses. But, Sharmane being the same spoiled teen she is, was blocking Ember's way.

"You bore me. Next," the prince said, making Sharmane's jaw drop. Ember had to pull on her arm for them to walk away.

"Rude much?" I said, from where I stood. Suddenly all eyes were on me. I blinked my eyes and looked around.

"Awkward," Shane said, sticking his head through the wall with his brothers.

The prince sat up, eyes at me. He got out of his seat and ran to me, making me look at him. "Why hello fair maiden," he said, kissing my hand.

"Uh, hi," I said with a half smile. "Hehe, nice to meet you your majesty."

That instant he grabbed me around me waist and pulled me against him, taking my hand. "Pleasure's all mine."

All of a sudden tango music started playing, me still wearing my lost face. The Prince and I danced, me going in all directions. Made me wish I could step on his foot or something. If this were high school this guy would be long gone by now. He twirled me then back in, holding me mid to the floor, our foreheads touching and lips dangerously close.

"Oh my God," the guys said, watching from the wall.

"You are am amazing dancer," he said, bringing me back up.

"Uh, not so bad yourself," I lied with a fake smile. _'I have to kiss this dude?'_

Nate watched in envy. All of a sudden, his eyes caught attention of the clock across the ballroom. Simply two minutes away from midnight, making his eyes widen. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Shane asked.

"We have to get out of here, now, the wish will wear off," Nate said, rushing through the wall and into the ballroom. He went through people, trying to get to me.

"Ash!" Nate shouted as I spun and spun from the dancing. I looked at him, so he knew I acknowledged him. He taped his wrist, meaning it was time.

My eyes widened and I somehow, by a miracle, broke free from the prince's grasp. "Um, I am so sorry your majesty, but I've gotta go."

"What?" he asked with an attitude.

"Quick this way!" Nate shouted, me running after him and through the crowd.

"Guards after her! Don't let my princess get away!" that prince shouted. And I thought Sharmane was bad.

Mysti chuckled from her stance by the throne. "Finally some excitement."

As I ran towards the corridoors, my cat ear hat flew off my head, making me stop. "M-My hat!"

"Hurry we've gotta get her out of here!" Nate said, making me gulp and run again, leaving my hat behind. We went through the ballroom door, now rushing down the hallway with me. "Geez which way?! Man we're lost and you'll get caught-!"

"Nate shup and stop yelling," I said, putting my finger in front of his ghostly lips. "Even here you're still a rambling panic."

"Guys go, the guards are coming!" Jason shouted.

"But we're trapped in a maze. How are we gonna get out of here?" Shane asked.

"Ash!" Ember shouted from the end of the hallway. "Come on! Follow me! I know the way out of here!"

A grin spread across my face and I picked up the front of my dress. I could always count on Ember. The guys flew behind me, following. After meeting Ember at the end, we headed to the exit. Ember rushed me into my carriage, the guys flying right into it. The horses started going on Jason's signal. Ember watching from the doors.

"Okay this is crazy!" I said, shifting left and right. "This is even worse than when Shane drives!"

"I drive?!" Shane yelled, twirling in circles above his seat.

A poof of purple gas came out of no where, making us all cough again. Before I knew it, my dress was gone, replaced with the spider silk dress. "Oh geez."

And no sooner later, the carriage slowed down. I looked out and saw the horses poof back into spiders.

"Hurry get out!" Nate shouted, trying to get me out of the carriage. I jumped out, and then the carriage itself turned into a tambourine.

"She went this way!" shouted a voice.

"Oh man, now what?" I asked, now in a ripped spider silk dress, my hair back into it's usual mess.

Nate put his hand into mine and I felt myself disappear. I became invisible. My voice gasped as I looked at my hand, seeing myself blue-ish gray like the guys.

"Cool huh?" Shane asked.

I looked down at my other hand, which was holding Nate's for the first time. He flew up and we went over to my house, me thanking that this day had officially ended.

--

"I have to _kiss_ him?" I said again, pacing back and forth in the living room. I was supposed to be cleaning the floors now that it was morning.

"He can't be that bad," Shane said.

Jason looked at his brother. "He was hitting on her and tango danced with her. He _flirted_ with her."

"And that's bad?" Shane shrugged, making us groan. "What?"

"Still," I said, sitting on the bottom stair. "I don't want to kiss him."

"Why do you have to kiss him anyway?" Shane asked.

I sighed. "I don't know. I, just have to so I can, get back to normal. It's like, Nate wanting to be human, but he can't. He has to be a ghost. _I_ have to kiss that good for nothing prince. It's just the way things are."

Nate have me a comforting look. "If you don't want to kiss him, you don't have to. You actually have a choice. If you don't want to do something, then don't do it, for whatever reason. I have no choice, so don't include me in this."

I looked down. "So what do I do?"

Jason smiled. "I don't know what you're panicking about, but know we'll always be here to help you."

Shane laughed. "And we're telling the truth, seeing as we've been with you ever since you became servant girl Aderella at four."

"And we'll always be your family too," Nate said.

"Thanks guys," I said. "I don't know what I'd do without you." It made me think of the guys back at home. It's not as different. Maybe I'm just meant to stay here. "But he'll come after me."

"How do you know that? You never gave him your name," Nate said.

I picked up my head, remembering the rest of the Cinderella tale. "He'll go around the kingdom to all the maidens, searching for who fits the hat. Whoever the hat fits, will be his bride."

"It's just a hat. I'm sure it fit somebody's head by now," Shane said, that is until the doorbell rung.

Jason glared at Shane. "You just had to say it."

I sighed. "See you at my wedding." I went to the door, but then someone grabbed my wrist. I turned around, seeing Ms. Autumn, Ember and Sharmane behind her. "Hey, let me go."

"You won't be staying while the prince is here," Ms. Autumn said with venom in her voice. She began walking, taking me with her.

"You can't do this to me! Let go!" I shouted, everyone, including the guys, watching. We walked up the wooden spiral staircase and up to my attic of a room. She shoved me in, locking the door. I sighed and blew hair out of my face. "And then the guys will get the key, unlock the door, I'll get out, fit the hat, and live unhappily ever after."

"Ash!" the guys said, flying through the wall.

".... Or they can do that," I said, blinking.

Ms. Autumn answered the door, seeing that prince along with Mysti, holding a red pillow with my hat on it. The guitar pick earring sparkled in the sunlight behind.

"Hello, may we come in?" the prince said.

"Yes, of course. Welcome to our humble abode," Ms. Autumn said as Ember and Sharmane bowed. But Ember turned her head back, looking worrying at the door to the staircase.

"Ash come on, we'll fly through the door and we'll get you to taht prince," Shane said, attempting to grab my wrist, only for it to go through. He kept on trying, over, and over again... and again.

"Do I have to?" I asked seriously. "Maybe I should just stay here, stay the way I am."

"No, go," Nate said.

"Make up your mind Nate! Weren't you just saying the opposite before?" I asked him. "You told me to not do what I don't have to do, and that is not kiss the prince. As long as I stay up here, it won't happen."

"Yes but I just realised that if you marry him, you can have a better life at the palace," Nate said.

"He just wants what's best for you," Jason said.

"How do you know what's best for me?" I told them.

"I just want for you to be happy," Nate said lastly.

Hearing that, I had nothing to say against it. I let out the breath I've been holding this entire time. "I _am_ happy here, Nate. I'm happy with you guys. It doesn't matter if it's in this hut or in a castle. If anything I know, it's that you guys are my best friends."

"Aw man that's the sweetest thing you've ever said," Shane said with a trembling lip, getting Jason and Shane under his arms. "I wish I could get us all into a group hug."

My eyes widened. "Wait! I wish!"

"What wish?" Jason asked, getting out of Shane's 'group hug'.

"Aiden!" I shouted, a whip of purple smoke swilling until Aiden appeared.

"You called?" he asked with a grin.

"I've got my second wish up for ya," I said. "Come on, first we've gotta get out of this room."

"Wait-"

"Nate, I've got a plan," I said. "Don't worry."

Nate sighed and we all flew through the door like ghosts. I went down the wooden stair case and poked my head out into the living room. I saw Mysti trying to place the hat onto Sharmane's head, but kept missing.

"Just place it on my head you stupid woman!" Sharmane snapped.

"Look who's talking," Mysti said, making some of us laugh.

"I wish that the hat fit Sharmane," I whispered, making Aiden snap his fingers, granting the wish.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Nate asked.

"The hat will only fit me. If the prince doesn't find anyone else, he'll keep looking for me. And I don't think we want that now do we?"

"It fits!" Sharmane squealed, tackling the prince in a hug.

"Oh joy," Mysti groaned from the floor, having tripped.

"We must celebrate for the engagement," Ms. Autumn said with a smirk.

The prince sighed, somewhat upset. "Fine, let us go to the palace. Mysti, let's go. You've got invitations to make.

Mysti hardened her face and took the badge on her chest, throwing it to the ground. "Forget you. I quit."

"You what?" the prince gritted through his teeth.

"You heard me. I quit being your royal adviser. All you've been was a royal pain. I'm done."

The prince hmphed. "Fine, begone with yourself. Never show your face at my palace again."

"Be glad to," Mysti said as he, Sharmane, and Ms Autumn left.

"You're wlecome to stay here," Ember spoke up.

"Thank you, Ember," Mysti said, feeling Ember's black hair too see.

"Well, there's my decision," I said. "I'm stuck here."

"Sorry if you're unhappy," Nate apologized.

I shrugged, crossing my arms behind my head. "No matter. I'll be okay here. If anything I should thank you guys. In a long time... sorta, this has been a great adventure."

"Ah don't mention it," Shane laughed. "It was easy."

"Thank Nate though. It's all because of that hat," Jason said.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "I just wish there was some way I could thank you," I said, hugging Nate and forgetting he was a ghost. Oh wait, ghost. I'm hugging a ghost. All of a sudden that purple smoke came on again and that got us all coughing. One it cleared away, I found the guys gone, me alone. "Nate?... Jason? Shane? Aiden?"

"Hey Ash!" Ember said as I walked into the room, looking for the guys. "Would you mind if Mysti stayed in your room?"

"Uh, no problem. Got a lot of room where I sleep," I said, looking in all directions. Just then the doorbell rung and I groaned. Probably those evil people back to harm me or whatever happens to princesses. But once I opened it, my jaw dropped. "No way."

"Yes way," Shane said, human, and in color. Him, Nate, and Jason. They were all wearing that royal clothing like the prince was wearing, each different colors.

"C-C-Come in," I stammered backing away.

"Ash who's at the-" Ember stopped midway, seeing the three handsome boys. ".... door."

I smiled. "Mysti, Ember, meet some friends of mine."

Shane walked up to Ember and kissed her hand. "I heard you have the voice of a thousand angels. I'd like to hear you sing sometime."

Ember blushed. "S-Sure."

Jason walked over to Mysti, taking her shoulders. "Remember me?"

Mysti's mouth moved a bit. "That voice.... It sounds so familiar.... Jason?"

"I'm back," Jason smiled, making Mysti smile and hug Jason.

"Wow," I said, Nate walking up to me. "Nice get up."

"Thanks," Nate laughed, looking at himself. "I'm human."

"But how?" I asked, looking at him.

"You wished for there to be some way to thank us. And, we're thanked."

I smiled and hugged him. "Well you're all welcome."

Nate smiled, enjoying this feeling of a hug, and wrapping his arms back around me. I back up my head and starred into his eyes. Suddenly we kissed and-

"Ah!" I gasped, opening my eyes. I looked at my surroundings. I was, in my house..... in my living room.... on the couch. "What...." I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I realized I was just laying on a pillow on Nate's lap. "A dream?"

I saw Mysti and Jason asleep on the other couch, Jason's arm around her. Aiden was on the other couch, sleeping on it with a pillow and blanket. Nate was sitting here, asleep with his head resting on his hand. I looked down and saw Shane and Ember asleep, sitting up straight back to back. I suddenly remembered they were having a contest to see who could stay up longer.

I looked at the TV screen and saw _The End_ on the movie of the classic Cinderella.

"It was a dream," I repeated, sitting back and relaxing. "All that.... never happened.... I kissed Nate." I suddenly fell back asleep, my head falling back onto the pillow on Nate's lap, in shock. _'Oh gosh please don't let that happen again.'_

And here ends, the tale of Aderella, a parallel universe, of Cinderella. Although a dream, it represents something true. Unfortunately Ash doesn't believe it, but you do.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER.._

_"Boys, don't you think spending time with Ash would be more fun than spending your life on material things?" Mr. Gray asked._

_"No," the guys said, making me hang my mouth open._

_"Which is why I'm giving you this mission," Mr. Gray said. The electricity was still out, so this was unusual. "You guys will be going to Nashville, Tennessee. Our client Noah Jakerson owns a farm down there. Lately his horses have been going off and about during the nights."_

_--_

_"You're welcome to look around for the meantime, go with the animals and everything else around my farm. Your real assignment of watching my horses don't really begin until nightfall."_

_"Awesome!" I shouted with hands in the air._

_--_

_Nate looked at the sun at the horizon. "Your dad was a good man. He took us all on that one horse. He held the reigns, I was at the front, you stuck in the middle._

_I smiled, remembering the feeling. "I kept holding onto you from behind because I thought I'd fall off."_

_"Well you don't seem to be needing to hold onto anything anymore," Nate said, us still horseback riding._


	46. Horseback Help Pt1

_Because Nate, Shane, and Jason are getting too attached to the city life and its technology, Mr. Gray sends Ash and his sons on a mission to Tennessee with confiscation of their gadgets. Can they still complete this easy-sounding mission without G.R.A.Y technology? In a side story, Shane tries to decorate an outhouse._

* * *

**CHAPTER 46: Horseback Help Pt1**

"Guys let's go!" Aiden shouted, jumping with excitement into the living room of the fire house.

"Euh," Nate and Jason said mindlessly, playing a video game without much thought for their little brother. Shane meanwhile was on his cellphone, texting.

"Hello, Gray family," I greeted loudly, coming in through the door, cat ear hat and all.

"Euh," the guys moaned in repitence, tranced into whatever they were doing.

I blinked, stopping in my walk. ".... Nice to see you guys, too."

"Ash make them stop so we can all go to the park," Aiden whined. "All the snow's finally gone and I want to go out."

"Guys listen to Aiden. It's been a while since Wyckoff's park had no snow," I said lecturingly. And of course, them plus a lexture is like adding zero plus zero.

"Euh," they said once more, ignoring me even.

I pouted, my arms now crossed. "What's with you guys? Hate nature now?"

"No," Shane scoffed, actually replying with words this time. "We just like modern city technology better."

Aiden and I rolled our eyes. "Don't worry Aiden, I can take you if you want," I said with an assuring look, making Aiden smile.

"Nope, you guys have a mission," Mr. Gray intterupted coming in through the elevator.

"Euh," the guys repeated again, still into whatever they're doing.

"Oh for Pete's sake just tell me the mission. I'll go alone since these guys are too busy," I said, shouting the last part at the guys, however they refused to hear or listen

"Oh just do what I do," Mr. Gray said with a shrug, pressing a button on his signature remote and making all the lights go out, the sun form the windows being out only light drawn into the room. And when I say lights, I meant everything else electric in the room.

"My game!" Jason and Nate shouted simultaneously. "You lost! No you had lower points! I was ahead of you! Stop saying what I'm saying!"

"My phone connection!" Shane panicked on the couch. "Now I'll never understood what that Japanese girl was saying!"

"You were texting someone using girl language?" I asked with a laugh.

"No I was texting someone long distance from Japan," Shane said, making me stare at him. "Seeing all that Japanese symbol text stuff is cool."

The smallest Gray made a confused scrunched up face "But you can't understand it," said Aiden.

"And it's not called symbols," I added.

"Since when do you know that?"

"Since you guys blew me and Ember off yesterday so you guys could go to the arcade. I stayed at home bored learning the Japanese language."

"But my game!" Nate shouted, still upset about it. He can be kinda competitive, from what I recalled in our early pre-teen-hood.

"Boys, don't you think spending time with Ash would be more fun and productive than spending your life on material things?" Mr. Gray asked.

"No," the guys said, making me hang slant my head forward with a raised eyebrow.

"Which is why I'm giving you this mission," Mr. Gray said with a smile. The electricity was still out, so this was unusual, being givin an assignment without the TV. "You guys will be going to Nashville, Tennessee. Our client Noah Jakerson owns a farm down there. Lately his horses have been going off and about during the nights."

"And?" I asked.

"We need you guys to figure out where they're heading and why."

"Why can't this Noah guy do it himself?" Shane asked with a look. He _really_ didn't feel like going on missions right now.

"He's an old man, Shane. He can't stay awake throughout the night to chase horses around the area," Mr. Gray cleared up. "And, it can give you boys a chance to get away from the city."

"What?" they asked in disbelief. That was their reason for being givin' such a mission?

"Ha ha," I laughed at them grinning.

"And Ash will make sure of it," Mr. Gray added lastly.

"Who will what sure of where now?" I asked straight-forwardly. "Mr. G why are you punishing me??"

"Ash I am not punishing you. Just try and complete the mission," Mr. Gray said, turning back to his sons.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine."

The father turned back to his three teenagers. "And as for the mission, no cell phones, no laptops, no trackers, no built in maps, no Internet access on your gadgets. In fact, just no gadgets at all "

"What?" they all said.

"You guys should know by now how to take on assignments without those spy gadgets, especially one as easy as this."

"Yeah you guys! Take it like men," I encouraged, hitting Nate on the back, almost knocking him off guard.

"Easy for you to say," Shane mumbled, giving me a vein and making me smack him upside the head.

--

"Well, here we are," I said, stepping out of the jet that landed in a clearing in a cornfield. It's been a long jet ride. The space we were in now had us completely submerged in a maze of tall grass and wheat. Taking a deep breath in, I breathed back out with a peaceful smile. "Man I'd love to spend a week here."

"I just can't want to get home," Nate opposed as he exited the jet, making me frown.

"There's no cellphone reception here," added Shane, following his little brother. He tried holding his phone up towards the sky.

A scoff escaped my breath. "You guys are pathetic," I muttered in disappointment.

"They'll be fine," Jason said, jumping out of the jet behind me. "Those two will get used to the air eventually.

I smiled appreciatively. "At least you're not tech obsessed like your brothers, Jason,"

"Yup," he nodded, holding something behind his back. I arched my eyebrows and turned Jason around, seeing him holding a mini computer phone thing inside his palm. I never did understand those high tech phones. I grabbed it out of his hands and starred at it before glaring accusingly at him. Jason replied with a nervous laugh and a sheepish smile.

"Where's the farm anyway?" Nate asked, covering the roof of his eyes with his hand, blocking it from the sunlight. "I can't see anything from where we landed."

"I think over there," Jason guessed, using his hand to block the sunlight, too. Aside from the wind and sound of rustling tall grass, Suddenly out of nowhere but somehwere, if that makes sense, a large white horse ran past us coming out of the grass, then bck into it behind us. I screamed and fell backwards, knocking Jason down as well. Shane screamed and jumped into Nate's arms who fell too from lack of strength to hold his broother. Once the horse was lost into the cornfields, having disappeared, we all sat up from shock and question. What just happened?

"What _was_ that?" Nate asked no one, rubbing his head.

"A horse," Shane answered.

"Yes we all know it's a horse but what is it doing here?" Jason corrected, helping me up.

"Mr. G _did_say the horses here were acting a little weird," I remembered from back at home. "Let's go find that Noah Jakerson guys and see if he can tell us anything. Maybe that was one of his run-away horses."

Once the jet took off back for Wyckoff, we went through the cornfields, trying to find our way through all the while trying to keep together. It was like a maze, as I said before, considering the size of the whole farm. By now we were all trudging through the heat of summer-spring, trying to not loose our heads from getting so lost.

"We there yet, Ash?" Shane asked drearily, me on top of his shoulders with my arms overlapping his head. He was giving me a piggy back ride and holding onto my knees for support, so that I could at least try to see atop and past the corn field.

"Nope," I said, doing my best to keep alert. "Try taking a right then left."

"Where's left and right?" asked Jason, ready to just fall apart and sleep in front of us.

"I don't know but you're tiring me out with your weight," Shane answered instead, dropping me backwards. I screamed and fell off, Nate catching me bridal style, somehwta conveniently.

"Nice save," I commented after shakking my head. Nate dropped me back onto my feet. "And thanks a lot Shane."

"Have _you_ ever tried carrying _yourself_!" Shane shouted in agony.

"Hey, hey we made it!" Jason said, seeing a clearing through some of the corn plants ahead of us. We ran straight through it with no hesitation and arrived on the outside of the place. In front of us was a small almost-stable looking house, then a huge barn. The entire place was grass and trees at the horizon too. Many animals were around. It was all like how I thought a barn would look like.

"Wow," I said in amazement.

"Leave it to Ash to like weird stuff like this," Jason figured

"Meow," purred a little brown kitty, walking up to the bottom of my feet.

A bright smile appeared on my face. "Aw, hey," I cooed, picking up the little kitten with ease. Looked very young. "It's a kitten!"

"I see you've found Maybelle," said the voice of an old man. We looked up and saw someone walk over to us. "I'm Noah Jakerson. You guys the ones I hired?"

"Yes sir," Nate nodded. "I'm Nate Gray. These are my brothers Jason and Shane."

"And I'm Ash Drame," I smiled, laughing at the little kitten that was licking my cheek.

Noah smiled. "Maybelle must like your cat ear hat there, missy. She don't like anyone else who don't have cat ears."

"Well I bet she's glad to be first," Shane said, trying to play with Maybelle, only for her to growl at him.

I laughed, petting her to calm her down. "That's what I did to you when I first met you." Nate and Jason laughed at my comment.

"Yeah, nice memories," Shane glared with sarcasm.

Nate chuckled and shook his head before turning to our client. "There anything you want for us to do?"

"You youngins think you can stay up during the night? Watch my horses?" Noah asked with some wheat sticking out the side of his mouth. "They've been going berserk during the night and disturbing my other animals. I can only imagine what they do wherever they are gettin' to."

"You can count on us, sir," I nodded as Maybelle jumped out of my arms. She ran over to that white horse who was getting a drink of water from that huge wooden box thing.

"It's that white horse again," Shane said, remembering how it scared us back in the cornfields. Guess this was where it was headed.

"That there's Anthem," Noah told us, looking at the white horse. "He's not like all the other horses. He's very distinct, like a lone wolf. Can be pretty hard to tame sometimes."

"That explained why he was running so wildly before," Jason recalled. "He almost knocked Ash over when we arrived."

"That's Anthem for ya," Noah said before looking at me. "Ash."

"Yes?" I asked, looking up.

"You look like a nice naive and oblivious girl."

I grinned and tipped my hat, taking it as a compliment. "Yeah?" The guys gave me that look, seeing the oblivious me again.

"You seem like the type to enjoy places like this," Noah said, walking. "You're welcome to look around for the meantime, go with the animals and everything else around my farm."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. Your real assignment of watching my horses don't really begin until nightfall. No point in standing around the entire day. You're teenagers. That's not one of your best activities, doin' nothin."

"Awesome!!" I shouted with hands in the air.

Anthem looked at me from where he stood at my suddenly burst of energy. Nate was trying to calm me down as I jumped and jumped jovially, Shane and Jason laughing a little at how Nate was failing to do so. Maybelle starred at Anthem then at me, back and forth in a curious manner.

--

"This place is so cool," I said in amazement as we waked down a dirt path on the ourskirts of the propperty. "I wonder what to do first? See the animals, explore the barn, get lost on this seemingly endless road. It all seems too exciting."

"Yes, continuing walking like this forever sounds like a blast," Nate said sarcastically. He was still upset about the mission givin'.

"Oh cheer up grump. Enjoy this," I told off, slapping his arm gently. "Not so often we get to go to places like this on missions. No real enemies, no distractions, no loud cars."

"No cell phone connection, no Internet, nothing high tech stuff to explode," Jason continued from my point. He slouched his shoulders and head. "I miss home." I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"Guys?" Shane asked suddenly from a distance. The three of us turned around, seeing the boy a bit behind. He was holding his pants an jumping in a weird way. "Where's the bathroom?" he said in a raspy voice.

"Oh geez," I sighed, slapping my forehead.

"Shane there is no bathroom here," Jason laughed in amusement at his brother's predicament.

"What??" Shane shrieked with a panicking face, still jumping from leg to leg.

"See there's two options. One, you can use the tree," Jason started. "Or you can use that," he said looking at an outhouse.

"What??!" Shane shouted again in a louder tone. He looked at the tree and at the old run-down looking outhouse, trying to decide which one to use. Finally he shouted and ran into the outhouse, Jason, Nate, and me laughing and shaking our heads. This is gonna be a long day.

--

"Seriously, I think we should decorate the outhouse," Shane told as we continued walking.

"You wanna decorate a toilet?" I asked.

"No not the toilet," Shane replied annoyed as I laughed. "I mean the outside of it, get some wood, paint it a bit, get some decorations. I bet if there were a contest for best looking bathroom, we'd win the blue ribbon."

Jason chuckled a bit. "That doesn't actually sound like a bad idea." He's kidding me right?

"I guess," Nate shrugged, knowing he'd be outnumbered in this. "Ash what do you think?"

"I think that since Shane used the outhouse, that's gonna be the boys bathroom, and that tree back there will be mine."

--

Jaosn, Nate, and I were walking, bringing long sticks of wood, carrying them on our shoulders. Suddenly Shane ran down and slipped, tossing buckets of paint into the air. We all looked up and a bucket landed on each of our heads, us still holding the wood.

"Ha ha," Shane laughed from the ground until a bucket fell on his head, too.

--

I was at the top of a very, very tall ladder in the woods. In my hands was a saw, trying to saw down some thin branches from the top of a tree. "Remind me again why _I_ was the one who had to go up here," I muttered under my breath.

"Ash you alright up there?!" Jason asked, he and Nate holding the bottom of the ladder to keep it secure.

"I'm good!" I shouted back, sawing the branch.

"Why did we agree to let _her_ go up there again?" Jason asked Nate in a haste and somewhat panicked whisper.

"Hey Ash!" Shane shouted, running up to us. "You see my honey sandwich?!"

"What sandwhich!" I shouted down. Now what?

"I put it in your pocket!" Shane shouted as Nate and Jason looked at us.

I blinked and slowed my sawing, looking back down at my pocket. And surely there I saw honey and crumbs leaking out the top. "Okay that's just nasty." Suddenly my ears were filled with the sound of buzzing. I looked up and saw a swarm of bees flying towards me. "And that's just bad!" With my panicking at the top of the ladder I lost my ballance and I started falling backwards. Nate tried to catch me, again. And seeing how high I was, we both fell down form impact.

Jason glared at Shane accusingly. He just laughed nervously and grinned.

--

"Why are we doing this?" I groaned, bringing a couch up a hill. Under it was a board with wheels so it would be easier to drag. Nate and I were pushing behind while Jason and Shane were pulling at the front. I had never agreed that I would help with this 'wonder outhouse' Shane had in mind, so why was I helping them anyway?

"Because, in order for this to be the best outhouse ever, it needs furniture," Shane said, looking back to see where he was going. And _I'm_ the weird one. Nate and I looked at Jason, wondering what was going on in Shane's mind. He just shrugged too, clueless. Suddenly, but not too surprisingly, Shane tripped, falling backwards. And only Jason holding the couch from behind made him let go of it. And with Nate and I in the front, with a giant couch on wheels.... well that just speaks all for itself.

"Run!" I shouted, grabbing Nate's wrist and running down the hill. The sound of the low-quality wheels under the wooden board could be heard catching up behind us.

"How the heck is this happening?!" Nate shouted, running with me away from the.

"I don't care!! Run away couch!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

--

It was now 6:00 and we had all the wood and paint supplies here by the small infamous outhouse, nails and tools and all. "Something's still missing," I said as I painted. Nate and Jason were nailing wood together with hammers and drills.

"Like what? More bandages for my fingers?" Nate asked, looking at his bruised fingers from how many times he accidentally hit himself with the hammer.

I laughed. "No, not that." Shane was back at the barn getting more stuff. At least now he can't accidentally harm me fatally. "I wanna go horseback riding."

"You do?" Nate asked surprised. "That came out of no where."

"It's possible," Jason said to me, joining in on our conversation. "I saw some saddles inside the barn. Just grab some horses and you and Nate can go. I'll handle the outhouse here."

"Don't you wanna come?" I asked him, dipping the brush in some purple paint.

"Nah, you two should go alone. It can be like a best friend thing. And besides, someone's gotta watch Shane," Jason pointed out, hammering in some more nails. "You guys haven't spent any quality time alone together in a while, what with us always on missions and, Shane making up mishaps that we have to correct."

Nate laughed. "That's true."

I smiled, clasping my hands together. "Alright then, it's settled. You and I will go horseback riding."

Nate's shot his head up. "We are? R-Right now?"

I laughed at how surprise. "Sure we never been horseback riding on our own before, but how hard can it be for spies? Besides, it might be fun," I said, placing some green paint on Nick's nose from the bucket, making us laugh.

"Whooo!" Shane shouted form a distance, ceasing our laughter for a moment. We looked back and saw him driving a tractor over the fields. "Guys you should try this! It's awwwwsome!"

I sighed, laughing and holding my head. "Typical Shane."

--

"Come on Nate!" I shouted, riding on my horse.

"Slow down!" Nate laughed, having just as much fun surprisingly. We were horseback riding throughout the long grass fields at sunset. The two of us were racing to see who could go faster. Horseback riding was far easier than we thought it out to be. We didn't even fall off yet.

"So," I began now that we were riding slowly, side by side. "How to you like it here?"

"It's pretty cool," Nate shrugged. "I've gotta admit, you don't do stuff like this back home."

"That's why I looked so forward to coming here," I reminded. "And not once did you guys complain about all your tech stuff."

"Yeah, but you complained about Shane," Nate laughed, making me smile a bit and blush. "You know," he began, "I think we came to a place like this before."

"We did?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.

Nate nodded., all of it coming back to him. "Yeah, when we were five. My mom took us to visit this area, and she took you and your parents with us."

I looked ahead, remembering those early simple days. "Yeah, I remember that autumn...."

He smiled, making a small noticeable chuckle. "We went pumpkin picking and we wandered away from everyone. It was sunset and everyone got so worried."

"And then they wound us sleeping next to this ginormous pumpkin we found at the other end of the field," I laughed.

"Well we all know that that was the pumpkin Shane used to win that Halloween contest," Nate smiled. "You know he never did ask us our permission to steal our pumpkin.

I softened the look on my face. "It was also the time my Dad took us both horseback riding."

Nate made a face and turned to look at the sun at the horizon. He let out a short breath he was holding in momentarily. "Your dad was a good man. He took us all on that one horse. He held the reigns, I was at the front, you stuck in the middle."

I smiled, remembering the feeling. "I kept holding onto you from behind because I thought I'd fall off."

"Well you don't seem to be needing to hold onto anything anymore," Nate said, us still horseback riding in a slow pace. The sun set, making the moon rise shortly in the distance. Our horses stopped and we looked up at the sky, seeing the stars. I swear I could even hear a singing voice far off, like background music in one of those moments in movies..... How corny.

"Don't see those often either," I said admiring the beautiful sky.

"Ash, you hear something," Nate asked confused, bringing his hand to his head. He was squinting his eyes, as if trying to keep up his focus and sight.

"Not really," I said, blinking. "Nate you okay- Ahh!" My horse neighed and stood on its hind legs, making me fall off and land onto the grass. I instantly sat up, seeing both Nate's and my horse reacting dangerously. Nate was still holding his head and fell off a few seconds later. "Nate!" The horses ran off and I crawled over to Nate. His eyes were closed as he laid down unconscious. "Dude, wake up," I told, turning him over. I laid my head on his chest and heard a heart beat, so he was still alive.

I heard more neighing horses and sat up straight to listen. In a distance I saw more horses charging this way. My eyes widened and I laid over Nate's body, covering my head in my arms for protection. Luckily none of the horses trampled over either of us, by whatever miracle we had. I shot back up and realised all of the dozens of horses were running in one direction, following that sound, the sound of a distinct song, whatever that was.

"That must be the thing Nate heard," I said to myself. "Those horses must be attracted to it." I looked back down at my unconcious friend. "Nate. Come on buddy get up," I said, standing up and slinging his arm around my neck. I sighed. " I guess I'll have to follow those hoses and drag you at the same time."

I trudged my way through the grass, carrying Nate alongside me. I was lucky I was strong otherwise I'd be sleeping like him. After a long while of limping, I was starting to get exhausted like any other girl would. I thought I'd fall to my knees but I heard bells. I looked up and saw little Maybelle standing there, that little collar with the single bell at the center. "Maybelle...?"

"Meow," she purred. She began running and turned back her head, looking at me. She wanted me to follow her. It gave me strength and I continued walking, following the young kitten, and following the sound. Eventually I made it to a familiar white horse, Anthem. Maybelle ran up to Anthem and meowed towards me again.

I froze up in place again. Anthem was a wild-like horse, so there was no telling what he'd do. And right now I was carrying an unconscious Nate so right now wasn't the best time to taunt four legged beings.

"Uh, h-hi," I said gently, not wanting to get into any more trouble, if it's possible. And where on earth is Jason and Shane? Anthem started walking towards me and saw Nate. He neighed gently and I smiled, petting his head surprisingly. "Well, I guess you're not all bad." After getting Nate and myself onto him, Anthem began riding us in a certain direction. I wasn't instructing him where to go. Made me wonder why Anthem wasn't where all those other horses were, where they all ran to. Well, we will soon since we were getting closer to that singing sound.

I looked at my G.R.A.Y watch and tried to figure out where I was on its built in GPS. Me being the only non-tech obsessed spy on this mission, according to Mr. G, was allowed to have my watch work and operate. "We're heading to a river." I looked up and my eyes widened. There was a huge sand-dirt ground ahead and a huge lengthened river, long down a valley. And there were a bunch of horses gathered around too near the water's edge. A nervous feeling rose up in my stomach as I gulped. "And here it begins."


	47. Horseback Help Pt2

_Because Nate, Shane, and Jason are getting too attached to the city life and it's technology, Mr. Gray sends Ash and his sons on a mission to Tennessee with confiscation of their gadgets. Can they still complete this easy-sounding mission without G.R.A.Y technology? In a side story, Shane tries to decorate an outhouse._

* * *

**CHAPTER 47: Horseback Help Pt2**

After I stopped from the back of the horse crowd, I jumped off, leaving Nate and Maybelle on Anthem. I went through all of the horses and poked my head out to see where the singing was coming from. And to my surprise, of course, my mouth dropped open. There I saw a girl in the water, wearing shells over herself like jewely. She had long, blond hair, longer than any other girl I've ever seen. There was a starfish in her hair too. She was singing 'aaahhhhhh's' for here on end, not stopping. Although I admitted it sounded beautiful, it was.... strange. Then again what _isn't_ strange in my life?

"No way," I mouthed, not closing my mouth once. A.... mermaid?

She continued singing, looking at all of the horses with a watching eye, until that is, she saw Anthem, with Nate on him. Her eyes sparkled. "Poseider!" her voice suddenly called, making her long note come to an end.

"Who now?" I whispered, looking back and seeing the horses clearing way so that Anthem and Nate were in clear view of this mermaid.

"My prince," she smiled, then smirking. "Bring him to me." All of the horses on command started moving, gaining towards Anthem. They were, after Nate?

"Nate!" I suddenly shouted in realization, now jumping up to my feet. I darted across the horses backs and making it over to the three, making sure they were alright.

The mermaid gasped, seeing me. "A girl, stealing my prince? You are not worthy of him, even as a human boy. Bring him to me at once!"

Despite my defences, dozens of horses verses me is like saying I can lift the earth. Then somehow, and _weirdly_ somehow, the horses picked up Nate on their backs and got him back to the river, where they threw him in. I groaned and turned back around, running and diving into the river. Swimming deeper and deeper, the mermaid and I raced to get to the sinkinh Nate.

"Stay away from my prince!" the mermaid yelled, making me swim faster and grab Nate, preventing him being taken by my opponent. I swam back up as fast and jumped up, ignoring my body's lowering energy.

"Let's get 'outta here!" I shouted, getting onto Anthem. Maybelle jumped under my hat, sticking her head out. Anthem took off as I held onto his mane, making sure I kept Nate steady at my side. All of the other horses took off after us, me screaming. "AHHH! Gooo! Go! Go! Go!" It began raining as this chase continued, as if the heavens wanted to add that dramatic effect. To think Nate and I went this far while horseback riding.

After we lost the horses we made it back the the barn, to keep safe from the rain. I looked out and saw Shane and Jason laying on the ground outside in the rain, also unconscious. Confusing thoughts and questions ran through my head, but I proccessed enough to ask later on and not now. Once I got them inside, I was completely deprived of any more stamina. I fell to the ground on my knees, thankfully oh staw and hay. And soon enough, I had collapsed fully from lack of any more energy. I had Anthem and Maybelle here; I had my best friends here. I think it's okay to... "Take a rest," I moaned, falling asleep instantly, and right beside Nate.

--

It was dead in the middle of the night now. Crickets were heard in the background along with the occasional sound of some wake animals in the farm. In the middle of the night, I felt something touching the side of my face. I looked, opening my eyes, and saw Anthem, trying to wake me up. I shook my arm, waving him off. Instead, little Maybelle started licking my face. At one point I groanedin defeat and sat up, then seeing Nate in my face. I yelled and instantly covered my mouth to keep quiet. I looked down and saw Shane and Jason still sleeping... and Nate. I blinked and looked at the sleeping Nate, then at the one right in front of me, and back and forth.

"Hi," the awake Nate said, making me blink.

"I'm dreaming again aren't I," I said with my mouth covered. I didn't know why, but I knew this wasn't Nate.

"Come on, let's go outside. It's easier to talk there," the boy said in a rushed whisper, standing up. After realizing I was just told to do something I stood up too and followed him. Maybelle came along, too. I realized it was still midnight, and it had stopped raining, replacing the once-dry air with a somewhat humid mist. It was a little chilly compared to my evening.

"Can you excuse me, one moment?" I asked the Nate-lookalike before turning around. "AHHHHHH!"

The guy laughed and covered his ears. "You and your friends sure like to react screaming a lot."

"Yeah I tend to do that when I see something unusual. And this," I said, pointing at him with flailing arms, "happens to be one of them..... And what up with the clothes?" I asked. He was bear-foot, for one. And he was wearing white pants, and a white wife beater.

He smiled in responce. "I know this is odd, especially for you-"

"Not that odd," I cut in.

"... Okay," he nodded eventually. "But, I'm not Nate."

"Clearly!" I shouted. "Now who are you?!"

"Almost running over you and the others when you all first arrived in Tennessee ring a bell?" he asked with slightly raised eyebrows.

It took me a while to understand what he was suggesting, but once I caught on my eyes slowly widened as I held my head in that angle. "_Anthem_?"

"That's just the name the old man gave me when he found me," he said. "It's Poseider."

"Y-You're the guy that sicko mermaid was looking for," I remembered, pointing at him with a shaking hand. Poseider was the name she was calling back at the river "And, she mistook Nate, for you."

"Yeah, strange how Nate and I look alike isn't it," Poseider said as if we were having a normal conversation. When I stutter, it is _not_ a normal conversation.

"So, h-how are you like this now? H-How are you a horse? And why is that mermaid looking for you?"

Poseider chuckled, sitting down on a nearby log. He is definitly not like Nate. This guy's too laid back and relaxed. "To tell the truth, I'm not what I look like. I'm not human, I'm not a horse, I'm-"

"A merman," I completed, sitting down with him. "Figures as much."

"How'd you know?"

"Not that confusing, Romeo," I said comfortably, patting his shoulder. "What _is_ confusing though is, how are you here?"

"It's a weird story really," Nate's look-alike said. "That mermaid's name is Naidara, princess of the Atlantic Ocean."

"The Atlantic Ocean?"

"Yeah she's a bit temperish than the princess in the Pacific Ocean but Naidara's my best friend."

"Pacific- you know what, I'm not even gonna try and understand that part," I said, shaking my head. "But what I definitely understand, is the best friend part."

He smiled. "As a mermaid, she uses her voice. She knows that I've been turned into a horse by some, magic of something."

"Magic?" I repeated with a smile. SO, that stuff really does exist. It's a nice feeling, hearing the word magic not related to fictional stories, but to real life.

"Even longer story about that magic part," Poseider says. "So during the night, she sneaks out of her father's palace to come here. She uses singing to draw in horses to the river, and hopes I'll show up and find me. If only she knew which horse was me."

"Aw, that's so sweet," I said with a small smile.

"But a side affect is that her singing makes all guys within range fall asleep."

"Well it explains those idiots," I figured out, looking back at the barn and hearing Shane snoring - loudly by the way.

Poseider laughed. "Good thing you saved Nate before Naidara could get to him. He would have drowned if he went into the water for too long."

"So what can I do? I want to stop all this horse herding and, sudden sleeping."

"Once it's morning, bring me to the river, talk to her, try not to get her angry."

"Ah, just like trying to get Sharmane to give me a pen," I scoffed. If only the task were as easy as asking it... I think. "Don't worry. I'll do it. I'm supposed to anyway. It's my mission."

"Thank you," Poseider smiled. "For a human, you are very entertaining."

I laughed. "Well, my life's a lot of an adventure right now."

Poseider looked at my necklace, and saw that key. "That key." It seems to have caught his attention.

I looked down. I remembered that mission back in the forest a few weeks back. "What about it?"

"N-Nothing," Poseider said, standing back up and shaking his head. "Forget I noticed it. Just... whatever happens, do your best. And don't give up hope."

I blinked but nodded. "Um, right, whatever you say."

He smiled. "The Land and Sea are in good hands. Now, go back to sleep," he said as everything fogged back up.

"Huh? W-Wait! Poseider!" I shouted as everything disappeared.

--

"Ugh," I groaned, sitting up. I heard a rooster from outside the barn. It was morning now. Then Anthem appeared, walking into the barn and looking right at me. My eyes widened, remembering the night. "No way...... Why must I be the one with the weird dream messages? Why not Shane, Jason, or Nate for once huh?"

After my self-scolding, I turned to wake up the guys. "Nate? Wake up..... Shane? Jason?..." I sighed. "If guess that mermaid's singing still has you guys sleeping." I stood up and reached down, putting on my cat ear hat. "If you wanna do things right, you gotta do it yourself." I walked over to Anthem, or Poseider rather, and let Maybelle jump onto my head and under my hat again. I walked them out of the barn and turned towards the guys, smiling at how peaceful they looked. I saddled onto Poseider and we started galloping. At this rate, it wouldn't take long to find the river.

--

"Here we are guys," I said as Poseider slowed to a stop. I was surprised I got here without falling since I had no saddle. I jumped off and Maybelle popped her head out to see. "What do I do now?"

Poseider motioned his head towards the river. I looked towards it and its running water. It was almost, actually, it _was_ peaceful. The sound was mesmerizing, and with it being so early in the morning, the sky and shadows mixed in so wonderfully together. "It would be just like when I was five.... if I just had Nate and my dad with me...."

I sighed and walked forward, doing what had to be done. I dove into the water and opened my eyes. I looked around, trying to find that mermaid. Poseider said she sneaked out of her home to come here at night, but maybe she was still here. I began looking around, going deeper and deeper. To be truthful, I had no idea whether I could hold my breath any longer than I usually could. When it came time for my limit of air to run out, I looked up and saw the surface was way to high for me to make it. And then my eyes closed, and all my body stopped moving.

_'Of course, I'm a damsel in distress again.'_

As I sank, I heard a splash from the top of the river. And with my hearing better down here, I heard whatever it was swimming towards me. Whoever it was grabbed my wrist and up, now holding me around the waist. We swam up and I found myself able to breath, almost. I was awake, but I couldn't open my eyes. And my breathing was hard to make. I felt my nose clog up and a pair of lips on mine, breathing air into my lungs. After about three times, I gasped sat up, coughing out water.

"Ash you're alright!" said that familiar voice, hugging me close to him.

I looked up, seeing a pale-skinned face and brown curly locks. "Poseider?"

He looked down wit arched eyebrows. "Who?"

My eyes widened. "Nate!" I cried suddenly, hugging him and catching him by surprise and off guard, again, no doubt making him blush. "You're finally awake!"

"Let's just say I had this sense that told me you were getting yourself into trouble again," he laughed, pulling us apart. "What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"Looking for a mermaid," I answered, slapping myself mentally afterwards. _Why_ did I just say that?

"You're looking for a mermaid," Nate repeated. "Maybe some water got to your brain or something-"

"Someone rang?" a voice said from the river. Nate and I both turned our heads, seeing a blond girl with her arms crossed. His jaw dropped and I smiled.

"You came back," I said out of relief.

"Oh, it's you, that human girl stealing my prince charming," she glared me, then smiling at Nate and winking.

I rolled my eyes. "He's not your prince charming he's mine. Oh wait that came out wrong."

Nate laughed. "So, this is real, that's actually a mermaid."

"Yes now shut up," I said with my hand covering his face, shoving him. "See that horse over there? _That's_ your prince charming."

"No way," she said, looking at me in disbelief until the white horse came by. "Poseider?"

"Poseider?" Nate repeated with my hand covering his mouth. I was too busy watching, smiling at the scene of reunion. The white haired horse jumped into the river and I saw this light underwater. He swam up and I saw him in his merman form again. And still, looked exactly like Nate. Except, he was wet and shirtless now. Hello.

"Poseider!" the mermaid shouted, hugging her lost friend. If that isn't fairy-tale-ish then I don't know what is. A horse just jumped into water and turned into a merman for heaven's sake.

Poseider smiled and looked at me. "Thank you, Ash of land."

"No problem," I nodded in reply. With that they both dived back into the water, showing us their mer-tails. Nate and I looked at each other and smiled, blushing.

"Okay, that was weird," Nate concluded.

"I'll say," I chuckled. "I should've brought an extra horse. I have to walk all the way back now."

"Still got my horse," Nate said, pointing behind a tree where a single brown and white colored horse appeared, waiting. "How do you think I got here so fast?"

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek, to thank him for saving me _again_. And obviously he blushed once more. "I guess you really are my prince charming. And it's not even 7:00 yet," I said, taking a glance at my watch while Nate recollected himself. With Maybelle now under my hat again, we walked over to Nate's horse and saddled onto it together. I was behind him, holding onto his waist, making me blush, and we began riding back to the barn.

--

"So the mission's over, just like that?" Jason asked in disbelief.

Nate and I smiled at each other then nodded at Jason and Shane. We both decided not to share any information of what just happened. Like they'd believe us anyway.

"Yeah," I said with a grin.

"I've gotta say, thank you," Noah said, from his porch. "My horses won't go runnin' off again will they?"

"No sir," Nate replied.

"How'd you guys do it?" Jason asked.

"Uh," I said, stuck for a lie.

"There was a frequency coming from the river," Nate started. "We monitored it, tracked it, and shut it down. It goes off every night so that's why the horses kept coming. It was just some broken down radio at the bottom of the river."

"Monitor, tracked- You use gadgets!" Shane shouted with an accusing finger.

"No, Ash let me use her watch," Nate told with an arm around me.

"I did-?" Nate elbowed me. "Duh I did!"

"Aw no fair! How come he got to use G.R.A.Y stuff but I didn't?!" Shane whined to me, making us laugh.

"You should call home, get them to send a jet over here so we can get home," Jason told me.

"Nope, not just yet," I said with a shake of my head. "Two things I've got to do first."

--

"And behold!" Shane shouted proudly. In front of us was a finished outhouse. It was now extended, so it was like a giant clubhouse. We walked through the door and found a couch, a table, and bunch of other things,. And then the bathroom there in the next door, for the privacy. And it was all different random colors, thanks to the way we painted it.

"I've gotta say, this turned out better than I thought," Nate complimented.

"Don't deny it little bro, you love this outhouse," Shane grinned with an around around me and Nate, having gone between us.

"And to think we didn't get hurt one bit," Jason said surprised, "since Shane's usually the one who accidentally sets off things."

"Hey," Shane accused, making Nate and me laugh.

"Maybe we should go home now, the jet's outside," Nate advised, looking out the window. Man this outhouse even has windows.

"I said I had two things to do. The outhouse was only one of them," I reminded.

"Where we going?" Nate asked, making me smile a bit.

--

I walked around the cemetery until I found my Dad's grave. In my hand was a guitar, too.

"So this is where you and you Mom go off to every year," Shane said, looking around with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, it's nice to come here un-scheduled," I said, sitting down in front of Dad's tombstone. "And with my friends."

They smiled at me and I turned back to the stone. I was lucky Dad's grave had a lot of space around it so we could all just hang around. I remembered my dad saying a long time ago, _I want to be burried somewhere with a lot of room that my daughter and her friends can hang around me when I'm not there, have picnics, play games, I wanna watch my daughter have fun, not mourn._

"Hi Dad, it's Ash again," I began, completely comfortable. "I know Mom and I don't talk about it, but I know you've been watching over me, and a lot ever since I joined G.R.A.Y and became a spy." I looked towards the guys, who were quiet and respectful. "I know you haven't seen them in a while, but these guys are the Grays, believe it or not. That's Jason, 18, can drive us without crashing so I'm safe. That's Shane, 17, can drive and crash into at least one pole every time. Sorry Shane."

Shane laughed. "It's okay."

"And you remember Nate," I added, reciting my best friend's name. "15, like me. We're both freshman, can't drive yet so don't worry." We all chuckled. The guys were surprised at how easily I was talking to my dad with such a straight face.

"Hey Mr. D, it's Shane here," Shane said, nodding and trying to find something to say. ".... Nice place you got here." I laughed and hit his arm, making me smile a little.

"Mr. Drame, it's good to see you again... sorta see you," Jason said, not knowing what to say either.

Nate smiled, knowing exactly what to say. "And Mr. D, don't worry about Ash. She's in good hands. I don't know if you've seen us in action or not, but we've always been there for your daughter, watching her back, protecting her. Because, to us she's like our little sister." I smiled and hugged Nate, his one arm around me too. "At least to Shane and Jason she is... To me she's my best friend. And even from here on end, I'll protect her with my life."

"Yeah what he said!" Shane shouted with a determined fist in the air, getting into the spirit of talking to my dad now. Then he leaned in towards the tombstone and put his hand up, as if he were actually whispering into someone's ear. "And don'cha worry. I'll get Ash and Natey together pre-ty soon. Don't have to worry about any other guys hitting on your daughter, Mr. D," he said with a thumbs up until I pulled on his ear with a vein, having heard that.

Jason laughed. "I'll keep these guys in check. They can get pretty random sometimes. Especialy Ash and Shane here."

Nate looked at me. "Ash you said you wrote a new song right?"

I nodded and looked back at the grave. "Dad, here's the latest song I wrote. It's called The Best Day."

_"I'm 5 years old It's getting cold out  
Got my big coat on  
I hear your laugh And look up at smilin at you  
I run and run  
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides  
Look now, the sky is gold  
I hug your legs and fall asleep  
On the way home_

_I don't know why all the trees change in the fall oh oh  
But I know you're not scared of anything at all oh oh  
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away  
But I know I had the best day with you that day_

_I'm a little older now and don't know the world could be so mean  
I come home dazed and you hold me tight, say 'you can cry in front of me'  
And I cried through the night, until I heard a song that you wrote  
You say you got my back and that you're protect my heart so it won't remain broke._

_I didn't know who was gonna take my father's place  
But I knew you would when you changed my saddened face  
And I knew it wouldn't take long for me to feel okay  
Because I had the best day with you that day_

_I have an excellent mother  
Her strength is making me stronger  
My friends are like my brothers  
Inside and out they're better than I am_

_I grew up in a fire house  
since I was young and bein true  
And I had The Best Days with you.._

_There is a memory I remember  
From when we were five  
You took us horseback riding from when  
You were alive  
But don't worry now, my friends are taking care of me  
But one of them is different and he's closer to me from what I, see_

_Now I know why the all the trees change in the fall oh oh  
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong  
And I love you for giving me your eyes  
Staying back and watching me shine  
And I didn't know if you knew  
So I'm takin' this chance to say  
I had the best day  
With you both of you... that day...."_

Nate hugged me as I closed my eyes, not letting the small tears escape. I wasn't the the mood for crying.

"That was a nice song," Jason commented as Nate and I had our 'best friend moment'. "She wrote a song about Nate and her dad."

"Though, that 'I love you for giving me your eyes' thing, was that directed to her dad or Nate because to me it can go either way."

Jason laughed. "I don't know. But on the long range, I'd say her dad."

"Wrong Jason," said a voice, making him and Shane look up. Their mouths hung open and they saw a pale figure behind the tombstone, my dad. Of course Nate and I couldn't see him. Shane and Jason did though, obviously from their faces. "It was directed at Nate over here. Watch my daughter for me will 'ya?"

"W-Will do sir," Shane stuttered in a barely audible whisper so Nate and I wouldn't hear.

"And for heaven's sake set them up already. The suspense is killing me from up there you know?" he said as he faded into mist.

"Oh my God," Jason gaped as Shane fainted backwards, Nate and I still hugging. Well, here's the end of yet another weird adventure, more particularly for Shane and Jason I'd say.

* * *

_NEXT CHAPTER..._

_"I got accepted to Harvard," Jason said still in a daze._

_"I KNEW IT!" Shane jumped, ruining this difficult moment. "NATE DID WIN! Dude you get to go to California!"_

_"A foreign exchange program. Turns out, Shane will be flying off to London," Ember told sadly._

_--_

_"Downtown, there's been notable disappearances of teenage girls, for two days already. A total of 12 had already disappeared. You guys have to try and find the source and put an end to it.... That is your last mission, if you choose to resign."_

_--_

_"Now, have you boys made your decision.... as to whether or not, you will resign?"_


	48. End of an Adventure Pt1

_When Nate, Shane, and Jason are givin once in a life time opportunities, it would mean they'd have to resign from G.R.A.Y. So now they are givin their maybe-last mission together. But, Ash is hiding a secret that will shock the entire group afterwards. Are their lives of being spies really over? There is no sub story._

* * *

**CHAPTER 48: End of an Adventure Pt1**

"Okay, you submitted your CD's?" Jason asked Shane.

He nodded. "Yup. It's a long range, but it's fun for them to participate."

"Should've asked us first," Nate muttered.

"Participate in what?" I asked, coming out the door of the school. I was a bit glum right now. Mom just told me news this morning. I didn't tell anyone yet though, not even Ember.

"Should we tell her?" Jason asked unsure.

"Tell me what?" I repeated, all of us walking. Curiosity was spilling out of the tips of my ears by now.

"She's gonna get mad," Ember sang. She sounded somewhat amused by all this.

"Nothing," Nate said next to me.

"She'll _thank_ me," Shane assured Nate with stubborn confidence. "You know that contest that they showed on the bulletin a long time ago? How Tylive Records is looking for new young music artists?"

"Yeah," I said, not really paying attention.

"I entered in two CD's. One from Nate and another from you."

"Ah that's nice- You enetered what from who's and where's now?" I retorted, shooting my head up.

"Told you she'd be mad," Ember remarked.

"W-Why would you do that? My songs are personal a-and I don't want old adults from another place hearing it!"

"You sound like the old Ash who was afraid to even sing a note," Shane laughed.

"Well I'm GONNA gonna be if what you said is true!" I panicked, suddenly grabbing Shane's shirt with my hands. "You know if you wanted a death wish you could've pulled this stunt a long time ago!"

"Believe me Ash, we're only two out of hundreds of other people who participated in the contest. Aiden said that we're not likely to win anyway," Nate assured, calming me down so that I would let go of his brother.

"You mean you knew?" I asked estranged, turning my head towards him.

"Not until just this morning," Nate shrugged "I didn't want you to panic about it the whole day. And, not to mention the fact he sent it in... last month."

"That long ago?" I asked surprised. Shane can't keep a secret for that long. "Why do we know about it now?"

"All of the contestants are getting replies soon from Tylive Records, whether they got in or not," Shane said excitingly. "And then the two winners will be touring together. And I bet that you and Nate will win."

"Oh boy," I sighed.

"Don't you want to win?" Jason asked.

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "But it'll be kinda hard to do G.R.A.Y work as a spy."

"Why would you _want _to be a spy? Living the dream of a bunch of other kids sounds like a lot of fun. And it'll be just you and Nate, best buddies. It'd be fun."

"And nit won't be like that adventure you had when you went to that parallel dimension," Nate laughed.

"I guess," I said. "But I don't know. Freshman year is almost over. Jason's graduating, Shane and Ember are becoming Seniors, Nate and I are becoming Sophomores. Time's gone by so fast since I joined G.R.A.Y, you know?"

Ember smiled, remembering the past year. "I admit, my coming here's been the best thing to ever happen to me. Not a lot of girls have best friends who are spies."

Jason chuckled. "Not a lot of girls who can _handle_ having friends who are spies. From when I was a kid, my friends hated that I was always off and never home."

"Except for a certain red-head ya like named Mysti," Shane coughed, apparently a long cough. I laughed at Shane's lame attempt and we all arrived back at the fire house.

"Hey guys!" Aiden shouted, running to us with a handful of mail. "Look what I found in the mailbox."

"I knew it!" Shane shouted, running excited and grabbing the mail from Aiden. He began to read through them while throwing away the unwanted. "Acceptance letter, tax, tax, acceptance letter, tax, complaint from that old lady next door, tax, YES TYLIVE RECORDS!"

"Wait Shane those might be my acceptance letters!" Jason yelled, rushing to all the mail Shane threw over the back of his shoulder.

I sighed and laid my bag on the couch. "I have a bad feeling about all this."

"Why say that?" Nate asked.

I played with the key necklace around my neck, the earring from my cat ear hat waving back and forth. "I just do, that's all."

"Oh my God," Jason said, looking at a letter.

"What is it Jason?" Ember asked, picking up some more mail.

"I got accepted to Harvard," Jason said still in a daze. All our eyes widened, including Shane who turned his head around as he was mid-way to opening an envelope.

"... Eh?" I spoke up first. Talk about a late reaction.

"H-Harvard?" Nate asked.

"The one in Cambridge, Massachusetts, _that_ Harvard?" I continued.

"You've gotta be really good to have gotten accepted there," Ember complimented, amazed.

"Well Jase deserves it. He is the smartest out of us," Shane said.

"Both in knowledge and wiseness Mr. send-people's-songs-across-the-country," I said with crossed arms.

"But guys don't you know what this would mean?" Jason asked in disbelief. "Harvard is a tough school, so I wouldn't have any time for being a spy... I think I'd have to, drop of out G.R.A.Y."

"What?" Aiden asked.

Nate thought for a moment before looking to his older brother. "If you want to go, go ahead. You've always wanted to go to one of the country's best universities after high school. You've been accepted to the best of the best. You should go."

I nodded, but somewhat sad. "Yeah. You should go."

"You sure guys?" Jason asked.

Nate smiled a bit. "Yeah."

"I KNEW IT!" Shane jumped, ruining this difficult moment. "NATE DID WIN!"

"Say what now?" I said, just as surprised as Nate.

"I-I did?" Nate asked in disbelief.

"Dude you get to go to Hollywood!" Shane shouted, shaking Nate's shoulders. "And I bet Ash got an acceptance letter too back at her house!"

"Uh, yeah," I said sheepishly with a half smile.

"Go to Hollywood," Nate repeated. "I can't believe it... I might actually becoming one of those teen celebrities."

"Shane, this one's for you," Ember said, reading the back of the last letter she found on the floor. Standing back up she opened it up and Shane took it. He read over slowly it and his eyes began to widen as well.. "Man me too."

"What do you mean me too?" Aiden asked.

"It's a junior thing," Ember said, standing up and stretching her back. "A foreign exchange program. Turns out, Shane will be flying off to London."

"Oh," I said with the same distracted face. "_That_ me too_."_

"And this just keeps getting better and better!" Shane said said in cheer and glee, hugging the letter.

"Yeah, better," Ember said looking down. Everyone seemed oblivious to mine and Ember's upsettings.

"So, in the end," Aiden started. "Jason's moving to Massachusetts, Shane's moving to London, and Nate's moving to Hollywood. You're all leaving aren't you," he said, running up the stairs, almost crying.

"Aiden wait," Ember called. "I'll go talk to him. Aiden wait!" she shouted, running up the stairs.

"I guess he didn't take that too well," Shane said.

"Who who would? You're all his older brothers and you're leaving just like that."

"It's not like we'll never see him again," Nate said. "Like our job now. We're spies and we're everywhere all the time. He seems ok with that."

"That's because he always sees you come back home safe and sound, happy from the adventure that had just taken place," I said. "That's how I felt before I was a spy." There was a moment of silence. "And with these huge opportunities, you would all have to resign from G.R.A.Y."

"Hey guys," Mr. Gray said, coming out the elevator. He sensed the gloomy feeling in the room. "You guys know what happened to Aiden? I saw him and Ember crying upstairs."

"Ember's crying too?" Shane asked, now feeling somewhat guilty.

"Jason's going to Harvard, Shane's going to London, and Nate's becoming a rock star. Aiden doesn't want them to leave," I explained all in two short sentences.

"What?" Mr. Gray asked, obviously confused.

"I see," Mr. Gray said, all of us on either couches, discussing the situation. It was like how we would explain a mission, except, this seemed a lot more serious.

"What should we do?" Jason asked.

Mr. Gray shrugged. "Whatever you want to do. These are all big opportunities for you boys."

"And very big decisions too," Nate said. "We have a lot here in Wyckoff we'd be leaving if we went with these huge opportunities."

"That's true, but every good thing comes with a price, Nate," Mr. Gray said. "sometimes for the good or worse. Only you can decide what decision is best... And don't you all go to Ash for help."

"What why not? I was just about to!" Shane said. But I didn't glare, or slap him. I was still trying to accept the fact I might _really_ be losing my friends.

"I don't know if you guys know this, but this is just as hard as it is for Ash as it is Aiden and Ember upstairs," Mr. Gray said, reading my mind. "Let me remind you she is your other teammate. If anything, I'd say it's the hardest for her to be accepting the fact you three might be leaving."

"Is that true Ash?" Nate asked, looking at me. "Because if you want we can stay."

"See that is exactly what your dad's talking about," I said. "If you stay, I am going to feel guiltily, like I was the one who held you all back from what's best for you. And, if you go..."

Jason sighed, scratching his head. "This is harder than I thought."

"And Ash was right before. If you guys leave, you will have to resign from G.R.A.Y," Mr. Gray explained to us. "Shane being all the way in another continent that doesn't even have a G.R.A.Y organization there. It wouldn't be possible for him to still be a spy. And Jason, Harvard is a tough school. You can't miss all of your daily classes and have an excuse every time to leave. And Nate, you're my son and I believe you would be a successful musician, but with paparazzi and everything that comes with being famous, keeping your secret as a spy would be impossible."

All of us looked down, listening intently to Mr. Gray's words. "You are all over 15, so you wouldn't be needing memory wiping if you resign. And I trust Ember can still keep this secret, so she wouldn't either."

"What about Aiden?" Shane asked.

"Oh Aiden's known ever since he could learn to understand the English language. It wouldn't this it's necessary," Mr. Gray said, shaking his head. "You have until the end of your next mission to decide though. With the year almost up and new recruits coming in, it's tough to boggle all this on my shoulders."

"Our next mission?" I asked.

"That's what I originally came down here for in the first place," he said. "Downtown, there's been notable disappearances of teenage girls, for two days already. A total of 12 had already disappeared. You guys have to try and find the source and put an end to it... That is your last mission, if you choose to resign."

We were in Jason's car, driving to our destination. It wasn't that far. The entire time, everyone was quiet. I, on the other hand, was still transfixed on the idea that this may have been our last mission together, but I wasn't all different from what the guys were feeling. I sighed and sat back up, catching their attention. "Guys? I, know that everything that's happened the last hour is, still a big shock but, we can't let that affect our mission can we?... I mean look at us. We're like adults dreading each and every moment of work. Usually we're all excited or annoyed at our mission."

Shane chuckled. "That's true."

I smiled. "So come on, let's give this mission our all... for me at least."

"I'm in," Shane smiled. He's always the easiest for me to cheer up."

"Me too I guess," Jason said, driving.

I turned to Nate, who was starring out the window, having blocked out everything we were saying, or at least ignoring what I was saying. I grinned and leaned towards him, poking his shoulder. "Come on Nate, you know you wanna. Come on, come on, come on."

Shane laughed at my, willingness to annoy Nate. "Come on, come on, come on, come on."

Jason sighed, closing his eyes. "Dude just say ok before I run us into a building or something!"

"Alright yes!" Nate laughed as I poked him. Now that's more like it.

"Hey guys," Mysti said, walking alone the sidewalk as we walked too. Everyone was starring at her because of her bandages.

"Mysti!" Jason shouted, running to her and grabbing her arms. "Geez, what are you doing out here?"

"Grocery shopping?" she asked, holding two plastic bags. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't go out on my own. How do you think I live?"

"On take out," Shane said, taking her grocery bags as we followed her.

"So I heard that you guys are on your maybe-last mission," she said. "Ember called me if you're wondering. I'm really proud you guys made it this far."

"Thanks," Jason said, glad to be with her.

"Ah!" I heard. I looked and saw a girl by an ally, being taken into the shadows by this arm with a black sleeve and black glove.

"You guys go bring Mysti back to her apartment. I'll be right back," I said, turning around to cross the busy street.

"Ash wait where're you going?" Nate shouted over the noise.

"Mission investigation! Contact me on the watch!" I shouted back, going around cars who were hoking at me.

"Always leave it to Ash to still go off on her own," Nate sighed.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Shane said. "Now let's do as she says and get Mysti home-" Shane looked back, seeing no Mysti. "Where'd she go?"

They all looked around, wondering where she was. "Mysti where'd you go?" Jason called.

"I'm right here," she said calmly up the street, just a couple buildings away and holding her two plastic bags.

Shane looked at his hands and saw he wasn't holding the bags anymore. "How'd you do that?"

"I'm a former spy remember?" she said, turning back around and walking. They guys looked at each other than ran to catch up to Mysti.

But Nate looked back as I entered the ally way. _'Please be careful.'_


	49. End of an Adventure Pt2

_When Nate, Shane, and Jason are givin once in a life time opportunities, it would mean they'd have to resign from G.R.A.Y. So now they are givin their maybe-last mission together. But, Ash is hiding a secret that will shock the entire group afterwards. Are their lives of being spies really over? There is no sub story._

* * *

**CHAPTER 49: End of an Adventure Pt2**

"Alright, where'd you go?" I said to myself as I walked down the ally way. The girl had just, disappeared, like Mr. Gray said. But when he said disappear, I didn't know it meant like this. I looked at my watched and scanned the place to see if there were anywhere they could have gotten to. Then I saw a red light there, meaning someone was coming. And just as the watch never lies, I heard a sound behind me.

"Stay where you are," said a guy who cocked a gun.

"And this is what I hate about the city," I sighed, turning around with my hand on my hip, the other adjusting my cat ear hat. "One guy, piece of cake." I ran at him and began fighting him, easily apprehending his gun and getting on his back. "Alright, I know you took that other girl. Where'd she go. Where'd you take her."

"You're one messed up chick," he said as I smacked him on the head.

"Talk," I said. I didn't know why I was being so interrogative right now. Usually I'm more naive or just plan oblivious that I knock out the enemies without thinking. But suddenly something hit me in a pressure point, making me fall down sideways and off the guy. "Can't move... my body."

The guy ran off as these new guys came, but I couldn't identify them, since my sight was clouding up. "You seem just right. Now, go to sleep."

I glared until my eyes shut. Typical. I just hope that the guys take this mission seriously so they can come find me soon.

--

"We shouldn't take this mission so seriously," Shane said, drinking from a soda can on Mysti's couch. "I mean, it sounds easy enough. Ash probably already found the kidnapper and everything."

"She wouldn't have contacted us first," Jason said.

Nate was looking out the window, still trying to make his decision. _'Should I go and leave Wyckoff?'_

"That's it I'm calling her on her watch," Jason said. "Ash, Ash come in." All he heard was static. "I knew it, she's kidnapped or something and we need to go find her."

"What?" Nate asked, hitting his head at the top of the window sill. "Ow!"

"You have any idea where she is?" Shane asked, still sitting.

"It's static I'm getting from her. So it's either she's somewhere _very_ far away, or she's underground."

"I'd go with underground. She couldn't have gotten that far in such short time," Shane said.

Nate turned back, still holding his head. "Nope. Knowing her she'd get away pretty far if she were underground. She'd punch her way back up to the surface."

"If she were kidnapped by someone else though, she'd be in pretty unpredictable places," Jason said.

"Try going behind the mall," Mysti said, walking in from her kitchen. "There's aways a lot of gangs there. Ash may be there."

"How do you know about that?" Jason asked.

"A lot of guys from there always try to hit on me, thinking I'm easy since I'm blind."

"I bet you run from them or get help whenever they do that," Shane laughed.

"Nah, I punch or kick them. Depends who's watching," she said, making the guys stare at her.

"Um, ok?" Nate finally said.

"Sorry Mysti, we've gotta go find Ash," Jason said.

"Go ahead, tell me how it ends," Mysti said with a yawn, going to her bedroom for a nap. And with that the guys ran out of the apartment room.

--

"This is so not what I expected," I said at the top of a roof of a building. And it was pretty high, like those giant skyscrapers in New York. The term damsel in distress is really brought into play here.

"Still haven't escaped I see," said this guy from can from the door. The entire roof was glass, and no ground underneath except for the sides. I wouldn't jump unless I could fly. Like that would ever happen.

"What do you want," I glared. I learned that the master mind behind this was an old man named Alister, a bomber.

"Ah, every female spy is the same. _What do you want. What do you want._ Blah blah blah," he said, walking towards me. "You're not going to get away like the other G.R.A.Y spy."

"Ah, so you've been targeted before I see," I said to this man. "No wonder the other ran." This guy's pretty old now, sinister-like.

He laughed. I learned his name was Alister before. "Oh she didn't run."

"What did you do to her?" I said, keeping my stance and still face. I couldn't show any emotion of fear, humor, sadness. Guys like this don't just fight their enemies.

"I didn't do anything really," Alister said. "She simply, died."

Now I was trying really hard not to show any emotion. But, sweat was rolling down the side of my face. It was suddenly hot with my cat ear hat on too. "What did you plan to do with her in the first place?" I asked, almost afraid too. I was, actually scared. I was alone usually like this in dangerous situations. Was it because, I knew I wouldn't have the guys around anymore to back me up?

"I wanted to marry her," he said. "I've been through a lot of wives you know, each and every one spies."

"Why?" I asked. Each thing I asked was like taking a step in a place filled with traps. One wrong move and you're a goner.

"I want a wife who can fight, a wife who's flexible," he said chuckling. "A wife who can, entertain me."

I gulped. "And what exactly am _I_ here for?"

"Let's just say that one day I decided, why keep aiming for the brave, powerful, older women of G.R.A.Y, when I can get a spine-less, little kid like you," he hissed. he called me spineless and little. As you'd know I'd react, but I'm still as still as a statue. "I can sense your fear."

"That's why you kidnapped all the girls, to try and find an agent."

"Smart, I like that in a wife," he said, walking.

"And if I refuse?" I asked, suddenly getting a surge of courage, even a little. "I'm not like any normal spy you know. I will jump." I will?

"I'd like to see you try," he said.

I began stepping backwards. "I will."

"Go ahead, jump," he said with a smirk. "What good will it do? Now that I know a kid like you exists, I'll just keep coming after you. And will you leave all those girls behind? The ones you, _came to rescue_?"

Oh yeah, the mission. I, actually forgot the purpose of my mission. _'I'm not a very good spy without the guys.... aren't I....' _

"Well?" he asked as I arrived at the edge of the glass roof. one move and I can fall back. I honestly didn't know what would happen though. It was so long, my way down. It'd be like skydiving without a parachute, but a heart filled with stones to make your fall all the more painful. All of a sudden, the window came, and pushed me back. My eyes widened and I gasped, feeling myself falling backwards.

--

"Okay, this is getting tiring," Nate said as they stopped at the stairs of one building. "We've gone through at least 27 people, and up 27 thousand stairs. We won't find Ash this way."

"Oh come on, Nate," Jason said, trying to catch his breath. "This is only the fourth building. She's gotta be around somewhere."

Out of no where we heard a 'woosh' but more like a gasp since it was so fast.

"What was that?" Jason and I asked at the same time.

"I didn't know Ash could fly," Shane said, looking out a window. Jason and I pushed him down and looked out the same window, seeing Ash falling through the sky.

"Ash!" I shouted.

Before she was even halfway past the building she fell off of, this weird guy in black clothing on a rope swooped down and caught her, slamming back into the building through glass. Now that I noticed, the entire building was made of up glass.

"Phew," I sighed. She didn't fall to the cement ground.

"At least now we know where she is," Jason said.

"They're up there!" shouted a man from downstairs.

"And now we have to go all the way back down," Shane said with an eye roll. "It could take twice as long."

"Think like Ash," I said, grabbing a piece of wood by some trash. I laid it down on the stairs and got on it. "You guys coming?"

"You seriously think that'd work," Jason said.

"It does when Ash is here," I said, grabbing the lid of a garbage can. I would use it as we slid down. "Well? Let's go. Ash can't wait forever. She might fall down the building again."

Kevin and Joe jumped on and we pushed ourselves down, making it like a ride. We were screaming too, just like how Ash would. I was going to miss moments like this, Ash's crazy ideas on how to get out of things. And seeing now and how they've grown on me, they finally came in handy.

--

"I know I was going to get married but, I thought it'd be somewhere more.... sturdy and in a place that wouldn't most likely collapse."

I was in a wedding dress. Not the best though. It was short first of all, above my knees. And it didn't have any straps, so I kept trying to keep it up. I was wearing white go-go boots, too. I've got nothing against them but at the moment, I do. And I was wearing a long, long, long transparent veil under my cat ear hat behind my head. Not to mention dandelions for flowers with all the seeds gone.

"At least you're alive," said one of the girls in the pews.

"Shut up," said a guy that worked for Alister. The 12 girls kidnapped were sitting in the blew crooked pews here at the bottom floor. And a creepy organ at the side to go along with it.

_'Those guys better get here soon.'_

The organ started playing and I gulped, walking down the isle. I wasn't smiling either. I was gripping onto my so-called flowers tighter and tighter. Once I got up to Alister he grabbed my arm tightly, probably cutting off my blood circulation. _'Please hurry.'_

"We're gathered here today," said a skater dude with a smirk. He probably worked for Alister too. "To wed yet another young lady, to this wonderful man today on the 17th of-"

"Dude that was last week's weeding," said one of Alister's henchmen from the pews.

_'Last week?'_

"Everyone stop!" shouted a voice from the building's huge doors.

It made my heart sigh with relief. "About time."

The guys all stood up straight and looked at me. "Ash?" I blushed, remembering my clothes.

"Intruders," Alister said, gripping onto my arm and making me wince. "Don't you boys know it's impolite to barge in uninvited to a private wedding?"

"Wedding?" Shane asked in disbelief. "I thought at Ash's wedding Nate would-"

"Let the our friend go, along with the girls," Jason said, covering Shane's mouth.

"Don't think so," Alister said. "This building is rigged with bombs. Anything, not to my liking to occur, boom, with all of you stuck here."

"We said let her go!" Nate demanded, taking a stance.

I glared and banged my wrist on my back, pressing the hologram button. A hologram of me appeared on the opposite side of the room, coming out from behind a pillar. "You mean me?" my copy-self asked.

"What?" Alister said, losing his grip on me while everyone's attention was focused on my double. "How on earth did she- Argh she is like every other spy after all, always on the run."

"You'll have to catch me first!" my double said sticking her tongue out. Alister began chasing her up the stairs as I got away through another door and hiding in the shadows.

"I'll go after him! You guys take care of the girls here!" Nate shouted, chasing after them, too. The henchmen surrounded Shane and Jason who were back to back.

"Hm, 12 hot girls watching, Nate chasing Ash and a bad guy, I think the odds are at our favors, Jase," Shane said with a smirk.

Jason smirked back. "I'm gonna miss this."

I ran down the stairs, holding the back of my vail. After using my watch and lighting a wooden stuck for a torch, I began to walk around the place. "Weird, my scan didn't pick up this place. I guess I'm farther underground than I thought."

I looked around the room. It had papers hung up on the walls, maps, navigational things. On the table by the papers were compasses and pencils. I scanned the place now with my watch. After looking at the results, I realised it picked up a DNA signal, making my head jump at the name that appeared. "Oh my gosh."

--

"Na na!" my hologram shouted as she stopped, since Alister stopped too. The stairs at the side of a tall building were always hard to climb.

"Geez how does Ash keep running so fast?" Nate said, just as tired. Until he saw me flicker that is. "Hologram."

"A hologram?" Alister said, having heard Nate. "You think you can play tricks on me don't you."

Nate backed up a bit as the hologram disappeared._ 'Ash must be somewhere that's interfering with her hologram program on her watch.'_

"Maybe I shouted finish this place after all," Alister said, pressing a button. Everywhere I heard beeping. "I'm not waisting my time on you kids."

Nate's eyes widened as Alister ran down the stairs. "Ash." He ran down too, having to warn his brothers, and having to find me before the place imploded.

--

"Impossible," I said, staring at my watch in the dark. "Diane Gray?" That was the guys' mother, Mr. Gray's wife. I followed it and turned around. It was so close, here in a book case. I bent down and saw a book, it's pages held with a small rope. At the top was tied a lock of hair, as if Mrs. Gray wanted someone to find this. I got out the book and went though it, searching for something. But instead, a paper fell out. I licked my lips and placed the book on the table, taking the hair into my pocket. I bent down and picked up the paper. It was just as old as everything else in here.

"It's another map," I said to myself. It was wrinkled a bit, and the paper was brownish. It had ripped and bent edges, but the map was still readable. It was of earth at least. And it started here in Wyckoff, and all across the ocean. But, to what place exactly?

I turned the map open, and found writing on the back, signed by Diane Jonas herself.

_Dear G.R.A.Y Agent,  
I hope that someone trustworthy has found this map. During my days in captivity here in this cell, I've drawn a map to my escape, my only way to freedom. A place where I believe I'm supposed to go to, a place where I can only go to. Alister will be coming down for me in less than 24-hours, so here is what I have to say._

I gulped again and licked my lips. For an old letter this was pretty suspenseful for me. Where'd she go that she _had_ to go? And was Mrs. G. the G.R.A.Y agent that Alister talked about killing?

_Since I refuse to marry Alister and give up my family, I decided that my only choice was to run away. Behind is a map to where I have relocated myself. There is no doubt my journey will be long and hard, but if I do not make it there, whoever is reading this, as an agent I assign for you to watch over my sons, Nathanial, Shane, Jason, and Aiden. And my husband, please don't let my disappearance or death affect the organization. I am doing this to protect my family, and, to find this place of prophecy._

"_Diane Jonas_," I read lastly. So it was true, she was on this mission and.... never came back. "All this time...." I turned the map over and looked. It went through a lot of places, and it wasn't exactly... exact. A simple like across a blue colored penciled map doesn't really show which way to go, does it? I folded the letter/map, and into my pocket. I looked up and what I was surprised to see, was, a drawing. I walked up to the wall and pulled the paper off. It was the drawing of a key, my key, the one I kept and found from the Atrum Ruins. "_Key to Power._"

All of a sudden the place started rumbling and I dropped the paper. "ASH!" Nate shouted from the stairs. In no time he got down here and grabbed my hand.

"What's going on?!" I shouted.

"Alister's gonna blow the place up in ten seconds!"

"WHAT?!" I shouted, running. "Why the heck are you here then?!"

"I told my brothers outside I wanted to find you! I wasn't going to leave you here to die ok?!"

After that I kept quiet, starring at Nate's back and running. By a split second we jumped out of the glass window right by us, the place exploding into rubble and smoke. We rolled onto the concrete ground, both stressed at relieved at the same time.

"You guys made it!" we heard Jason shouted as he and Shane ran to us, jumping over everything in their way. Nate and I smiled, helping eachother up.

"We got all the girls out so don't worry," Jason said as Shane hugged us both.

"Man I thought we'd loose you guys in there!" Shane said, all of us laughing.

As the guys all cheered and laughed, I remained silent, putting up a fake grin. I didn't know whether or not to tell the guys about the map I saw. And the key, apparently called key to power. Where did their Mom go anyway?

--

"Nice work guys, you completed the mission," Mr. Gray said, all of us back in the living room. Aiden, Ember, and Mysti were here too. "Now, have you boys made your decision.... as to whether or not, you will resign?"

The guys starred down, thinking about this seriously. We haven't had the time to talk abotu it much durring the climax of the mission.

"Go," I said with a grin. "It's your dreams. It'd be pretty awesome to travel places without having to wonder if there's a bad guy around the corner or in your vents."

Nate looked at me then back, waiting a few seconds. "I resign."

All of us looked at him, surprised he'd actually be the first. Out of these guys, I knew Nate loved this job the best.

"I resign," Jason said too.

"I resign," Shane said lastly.

Mr. Gray sighed. "I'm very proud of you boys. You've done a lot of what many of my other spies couldn't do. Now that you are no longer spies, you will no longer have access to the G.R.A.Y prison, the G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters, the control room, or the basement controls. Is that clear?"

"Yes," the guys said, almost as if they were painful to even agree to those terns.

Mr. Gray nodded. "You'll have to give me your watches."

The guys looked at their G.R.A.Y watches and took them off, handing them to their Dad. I rarely, maybe not ever, see them without those things.

"I have a question though," Nate said. "What about Ash? I don't want her to go on missions alone."

I smiled at Nate's concern for me, as did his Dad. "I'll put her with another spy team. You don't have to worry about-"

"Wait," I said, my hand playing with my watch's wristband. "I resign too."

Now everyone looked at me shocked.

"Ash why would you do that?" Mysti asked.

"Because," I said, taking off my watch. "I would have to resign sooner or later anyway."

"But," Aiden said. "Why do you have to resign? You don't have, too. You're not going anywhere."

"Did you get accepted to that Tylive Records thing?" Ember asked.

I shook my head. "No, I read the letter when we got back from the mission. I didn't get accepted."

"So where are you going?" Nate asked.

I kept my eyes away from everyone, they were hidden under my cat ear hat. "We're moving."

"What?" Aiden asked.

"W-We're moving?" Ember asked me in disbelief.

I nodded. "This morning I woke up early. My Mom said we're moving, to Washington. Business purposes. She says she's found a job that pays really good. We'll be out of here by next week."

"You knew since this morning?" Jason asked. "Ash if you knew you were leaving why didn't you tell any of us?"

"I didn't want anyone to be upset," I told them, looking at everyone in the room. "Especially with that mission. And with you guys so happy with your new opportunities, I didn't want to say it until I really had to."

"And when exactly did you plan on telling us?" Nate asked.

I stayed quiet for a moment. "I don't know... this morning I thought I'd tell you guys the day before I'd leave but... it seems things just got a little more complicated now that you guys resigned. And, if I'm gonna be all the way at the other end of the country, I might as well not be a spy anymore."

"But Ash, you know that even though you're in Washington you can still be a spy. Sure there's new people but-"

"No, it's okay Nate," I said. "It wouldn't be the same, being in a new place with a new boss. Not every spy headquarters is this child friendly. Any other government spy would have fired me and Shane by now because of our foolishness."

Shane laughed. "That's true."

"You're sure you want to resign Ash?" Mr. Gray asked.

I looked at my watch one last time before holding it up to their dad to take. "I resign."

Everyone was now in pure shock. It was over now.... The guys are leaving and... Ember and I are moving. And, I still had many unsolved clues to G.R.A.Y's mysteries, like Diane Gray. And now this was our last week together.... it's the end of my adventure.

--

It was night now, and I was upstairs in my bedroom. I just couldn't bear sleeping in the fire house knowing my days were limited. Ember felt the same way.

We both were wearing night gowns and went over to the window, opening it. We starred out into the street and to the side, where we saw the fire house. Only one bedroom had it's lights on, Nate's room.

"I'm sorry," I apoligized.

Ember looked down at me. "You've got nothing to be sorry for, Ash.... We've lived the dream.... No dream lasts forever."

"I guess," I said with no enthusiasm. ".... I wish it could though...."

Ember and I looked at eachother and hugged, still feeling as sad as ever about having to let the guys go.

--**NATE'S POV**--

Meanwhile at the fire house, the guys and I were in my bedroom. We decided we'd all sleep in one room tonight.

There was a scilence going around the room. There was nothing to say. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing to talk about, seeing as we were all thinking the same thing, with the same thoughts.

Shane blew out a breath he was holding. "Nate?"

"...Yeah?" I asked, starring at the ceiling from my bed.

".... Are you going to confess to Ash?"

"What?" I asked sitting up. That was a question that got to me every time. It worked waking me up, it worked snapping me out of thoughts, that question could wake me up from a coma if the time came.

Shane kept a still face. "I'm serious. I'm not gonna tease you right now."

"He's telling the truth," Jason spoke up, not in a humorous mood either.

"Why me and Ash? Why don't we talk about Mysti and Ember for a change?"

"Because your relationship with Ash is more important," Jason said, making me look at him. "You and Ash go way back. Sure Mysti and I go back much further, but your relationship's stronger."

Shane nodded. "Stronger than mine and Ember's too. She likes you man."

"Is that so," I said. "Then how come nothing's changed."

"Because you and Ash are stubborn idiots," Aiden said, sitting up from his bed. Just when we thought he was asleep. "That's right. I said it." The three of us couldn't help but smile at that remark. "Ash really does like your Nate. Why don't you just confess to her? You like her too don't you?"

"I..."

"Don't lie," Aiden interupted, shaking his head and hugging his knees. "You've been lying for a long time already."

".. You're right.... I've been lying to Ash about how I really felt about her.... I've been lying to myself."

Jason smiled, proud Nate finally admitted it. "Then don't lie and say you're afraid that confessing will ruin your friendship."

"I'm just afriad that it'll be hard to say goodbye," Nate continued.

Shane looked down at his sleepign bag. "So you're saying you like Ash."

Nate turned off the lights, signaling everyone to go to sleep. "I'm not saying I only like her as a friend."

TO BE CONTINUED

* * *

_NEXT and FINAL CHAPTERS..._

_The guys are leaving.... Ember and I are moving.... the world is ending for me....  
No seriously. The world's ending.  
_Ah!" Nate shouted, sitting up. "Did you just whack me with a fish?!"  
"That doesn't matter what aquatic mammals I've whacked you with. Come on, we've gotta go save the world."

_This last journey shall take you to foreign lands no G.R.A.Y spy has ever gone before  
_"Kibosh ra shkotwa. Ki jalopan hiesro. Koba qiga yoshar!" said one of them.  
"Um.... we come in peace?" I said, not really knowing what to say.

_Pressuring  
_"If it was to ever fall into the wrong hands, it would cause the end of the world."  
".... That's a nice burden to hold over a 15-year old's shoulders," I said sarcastically.

_The reuinion of a broken family  
_"You have any idea how dangerous that is?! If we were back at Wyckoff you three would be soo grounded!"  
"Yeah, good to have you back, Mrs. G," I said with a laugh.

_And it will take all the power of our heroes to bring the world back to what it once was  
_"But either way we're back, we're alive-"  
"We're screwed," Nate added.  
"Yeah that's the spirit," I said to him. "Be positive."

_The dangers and stakes are higher  
_"Ember?" Shane said, looking up. "EMBER!!!"  
"Mysti no!!" Jason shouted.  
"Shane watch out!!" I screamed.  
"Ash think about your mom, your dad, all of us, everyone in the world, are you seriously going to throw it all away?" Nate pleaded to me.

_Ash Drame  
_"A good spy relys on gadgets and knowledge. But a great spy relies on strategy and heart."

_Nate Gray  
_"Because I really have to find her. I'm not losing her like we did Mom."

_Shane Gray  
_"You know Ash, I feel happy for the guy you'd have to marry. He can skip meeting the overprotective father, and he can meet the world dominating uncle instead."

_Jason Gray  
_"No matter how many times we bring these guys down they keep coming back!"

_My Story  
_"I love you..."


	50. SPECIAL: My Story Pt1

_After a long year, Ash's adventure as a G.R.A.Y spy finally comes to an end. But she won't let it end so easily. Without any help from G.R.A.Y, she decides to sneak off once again on one last self-mission. But when Nate finds out, he's determined to get her back home alive before everyone has to go their separate ways. But, of course, this adventure has a twist like every other, the end of the world. Can Ash save it? Or is it really the end of everything?_

* * *

**CHAPTER 50: My Story Pt1**

_"Ash... Ash you've got to wake up."_

_"Huh?" I asked, feeling myself floating in air. I was in a dark black endless space. Only mini sparkles and stars were around me, like I was in space._

_"Ash, help me, please... You've got to come help me, for father."_

_"What? Who are you? Where are you?" I asked, looking around the darkness._

_"Use the time. Go back in time. Save them._

_"Huh?" I asked in a panicking voice. Suddenly an aray of voices started talking at once.  
_

_"He's reigning his vengeance at the surface world," said a girl's voice.  
_

_"Shane look out!" said a guy's.  
_

_"That moving source of energy. That's the same source that started the earthquake," said another male voice.  
_

_"He's after my key," my voice said. Wait. My voice?  
_

_"That's the source! Ash the shadow!" shouting a screaming voice, as if it were the end of the world.  
_

_"But Nate I can't deal with this. I'm just a girl," my voice sobbed uncontroably._

_"I love you..." whispered the last voice._

_"What! I don't understand!" I shouted into space.  
_

_"Trust the heart's longing, and thou shall travel with you into the past!"_

I was laying in my bed, my head in my pillow, not moving an inch. I was asleep, dreaming that dream again, just as I had started a few days ago.

"Come on Ash. You just laying there makes the room seem depressing," Ember said from her computer desk, thus waking me up.

I lifted my head. "Sorry Ember. It's just.... so hard to believe it's all coming to an end.... Jason's finally gonna go to college but at the other end of the country. Shane's going to boarding school across the _world_. My best friend's becoming a future celebrity, and we're moving out of the state. Let's face it, my life's over."

".... Well that was a great thing to say to cheer me up," Ember said, forgetting up and walking over to my bed. "Let me remind you it's not just you who's suffering. _I'm_ losing my best friend too, Shane. I know what you're going through. And I can only imagine how hard it is for the guys, them having to leave us, having to give up the spy life... No one would want to leave all that."

"Then why _are_ we?" I asked, making Ember go silent. She had no answer for that. "And, there's still a lot of things I would like to do before I give up being a G.R.A.Y spy, before I become a normal girl again. I want to find the Grays' mother, and find the reason why my father died.... I want answers."

"Ash that note you found is years old. I doubt a single word in it has survived the truth for so long," she said to me in doubt.

"But if I never try I'll never know," I said weakly. I turned my head and outstretched my arm. I opened my drawer and took out the letter. I lied back on my back and read it over. "Alright Em, this is my last shot for an adventure."

Ember looked at me, not in the 'oh no' way, though. "I know I shouldn't ask, but what are you thinking?"

"I'm gonna go search for Mrs. Gray," I said, getting out of my bed. "Forget the rules. They may have taken my watch and spy gear, but until the end of the week, I'm still an honorary spy, and I'll make the most of it with what I've learned the past nine months."

Ember's eyes widened as she jumped up to her feet. "Whoa, wait a minute, you mean you're actually gonna, _search _search? As in, follow that map around the globe?"

"That's the plan," I replied, coming out of my closet with a bag. Since I no longer could carry essentials and money for travels, I had to do it on my own, and lightly. "Why do you sound so surprised?... Well more than usual."

"Because just five seconds ago you were Miss-my-life-is-over. Now you're Miss-I'll-go-fly-out-of-the-country-and-risk-my-neck-again-and-live-happily-ever-after."

"Well there always _are_ happily ever afters," I said, looking into my bag. "Pair of clothes, girl needs, water bottle, all set."

"Hm, you didn't pack any music or anything unnecessary," Ember said, walking up next to me. "You're taking this last go seriously, aren't you."

"Well, for once I have to be realistic Ember. This is a _real_ mission."

"Ah, like all those previous missions were walks in the park."

I looked at her after zipping up my bag. "You know what I'm saying."

"No I don't know what you're saying," she said as I slung it over my shoulder.

I sighed, turning around. "_It means_, I know I might not come back."

"Whoa whoa whoa slow down there Ash," Ember said with widened eyes, running to the door and blocking it before I could reach it. "You might not come back?"

I kept a sad but still face. "Yes. This is my last adventure before I throw my life away. Now move."

I went around her and towards the staircase, until she grabbed my wrist. "Just... be careful."

I made a small smile and turned my head. She had small tears forming in her eyes.I remember the last time this happened. Me, going on a mission, Ember hessitent to let me leave. It was on her first few days moving in here. She was worried about me, like she used to be about Shane.

"Aren't I always?..."I smiled back assuringly.

We hugged each other, really not knowing whether or not we'd see each other again, whether the _guys_ and I would ever see each other again.

"You should say goodbye to the guys you know," she said having read my mind, us still hugging.

"If I told them I was leaving and why, they'd never let me out of their sight," I said with a chuckle, trying to make her laugh, but we were having to much of a moment. We let go, and she wiped her eye, being the same strong Ember I've grown to know. "If I don't come back tell the guys they've been the best guy friends I've ever had. And.. take care of my mom, alright?"

"Don't you worry about things here," she said, avoiding eye contact.

I nodded and turned around, running down the stairs. I ran out the door and shut it. I ran down the pathway and turned around, taking one last look at my house. The wind blew through my hair as I reminisced my perfect life, the perfect life I would never trade, ever. And here I am, doing the last possible thing to try and keep it this way. I'm not bringing their mom back just try to and keep us all in G.R.A.Y, but as my last goodbye gift to the guys, to Nate. If anything, I know Nate has always wanted to see his Mom again, his wish every birthday, his wish every shooting star, to see his Mom again. I took a deep breath and ran down the block.

--

"Alright, I can do this. I'm doing this, there's no need to panic," I said to myself, flying an empty plane over the ocean. I would have gotten a hellicoptor, but there were too many G.R.A.Y spies around that area. A plane was all I could get without getting caught.

_I know, that I can be inconsiderate  
But now I know what I have to do  
For the good that we remember  
I leave without goodbye  
Can you think of me as  
Who I was, before I_

_I gotta take this chance and fly  
Won't care if I die  
Don't look for me 'cause you won't find  
Please don't see through my lies  
It's gonna be okay  
I pray that you'll move on 'till I, come, back  
If I come back  
Risk it all away... ooh....  
_

I looked at the map I had, following it. "Don't worry Mrs. G, I'm coming."

I made the turn over an uncharted island. It was quite jungle-like looking down. I looked at my bag and saw my G.R.A.Y outfit, the last reminder of my life as a spy. I closed my eyes and placed the helicopter on autopilot and took the black spy clothes, going into the bathroom to change into it. If I'm doing this, I'm doing this right.

**--NATE'S POV--**

I was in my room with my guitar, playing some chords. It was now that I just realised Ash was only acting happy that I was offered a record deal.

_"You're leaving me, only memories, and you  
Can't even see, how much you mean to me, I do  
So much to try and keep you close  
And to try to confess what's on my mind  
The time, is making us  
spik to the fork in the road, I can't  
Risk loosing you, any sooner than  
I am already  
This call isn't leaving  
_

_When my voice starts to fall  
You won't hear at all  
The things I'm calling to you  
These last simple days  
Are not enough for me to  
Lock our bond forever...  
It's left too... open..._"

"Nice, little bro," Shane said, sliding down the fire pole from his room above. "What'cha doing here, rock star? Seem kinda gloomy."

I made a half smile. "Sorry Shane, I'm just, thinking about my becoming a rock star. Trying to write a song."

"I see," he said, standing. "Strange love song.... has it got anything to do with.... Ash maybe?"

I could only glare at Shane. And not because he was being the usual annoying teaser, but because I really couldn't be teased _about_ Ash anymore. I guess, I have mixed feelings about her now.

Shane noticed this in my glare as I turned away. "You're no yelling back at me?"

I didn't respond.

His eyes widened. "You.... actually, agree then."

I still didn't respond, pretending to tune my guitar.

"Okay then," Shane said, walking up to me. "Let me ask you this now, for once. ....Do you like Ash?"

The suspence of my silence got to me until he asked that question, that I broke a strong on the guitar, spooking Shane. I kept my still manner, though. This time I was hessitent to answer. But.... I couldn't help but reply the truth. "I love her."

Shane's eyes widened as his jaw dropped slightly. I heard Jason shout and fall down the firepole, making me raise my head.

"You love her?" Shane repeated slowly in disbelief, the elevator door opening at the same time, showing Jason who ran into my room with the same expression.

"Yeah... I guess I do," I said, surprised myself.

"HALLELUJAH!!!" both brothers shouted, hugging each other tightly with overjoyed faces. .... okay....? "FINALLY! YES! WHOO! YEAH!"

I could only stare at my brothers'.... exasperated version of overjoyment. "Guys."

"Sorry dude," Shane said, finally claming down. "But it's just been _ages_ since we've wanted to hear you admit that!"

"What made you change your mind?" Jason asked, sitting down next to me, taking away my broken guitar.

I tried to think. What _did_ make me say that? Not that I'm regretting it. I do indeed love her. Just.... how? "I don't know. She's supposed to be my best friend, not my girlfriend."

"We expected for you to say something like that eventually," Shane said, sitting next to me with an arm around my shoulders. "And this is the answer Jason and I have created just for you many years previous," he said, taking a tramatic pause. "Get over it. You're in love."

"That helps," I said sarcastically.

"Just go talk to Ash," Jason said. "You're leaving home soon to become a rock star, remember."

I looked at the letter on my dresser. "I guess."

Shane looked at me funny and sat down on my bed next to me. "You having second thoughts on this?"

"I think so."

"Nate I thought this was what you wanted."

"I thought so too, Shane. I mean, you know how everything comes with a price?" I asked him.

"Yeah."

"Well this one has a heavy price. I've already giving up my life as a spy to pursue music. You gave up being a spy to study abroad, same with you Jason. And Ash gave up being a spy too because she's moving. It just seems to all be going away too fast. How can I possibly risk our friendship by telling Ash that I like her?"

Shane chuckled a little, playing with a tambourine from the floor. "Ash didn't give up her spy life because she was moving."

I arched my eyebrow and lifted my head, turning it towards him. "She didn't?"

Jason shook his head. "Ash gave up being a spy because _we_ did. She said that if she can't be on a spy team with us, then she'd rather not be a spy at all."

"Ash said that?" I thought out loud.

"Of course. I wouldn't expect anything else for an ending. It's just... not Ash," Shane shrugged, standing back up.

Suddenly, my head shot back up, rethinking Shane's words. "Wait, ending.... Oh man." I started thinking. What sh Drame would leave everything open ended. And I haven't seen Ash in a while. But she's also not one to sulk, either. Meaning she's up to something.

"Whoa!" I shouted, sitting up in my bed. Jason and Shane were gone, and my guitar was beside me. No broken string. "Wow.... just a dream...."

But I do understand what the dream meant, I had to call Ash, check up on her. If anything, she's always looking for trouble.

"Ash," I said, rushing back up and grabbing my cellphone and dialing her number. "Come on Ash, pick up, pick up," I said, pacing.

Miles and miles away, Ash's cellphone vibrated from inside her bag in the autopilot helicopter, unknowingly taken from the G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters. Ash was still in the bathroom, changing, and could not hear her phone.

"Shoot," I muttered, shutting my phone. "She's not answering."

"So? Ash barely answers her phone," Shane said, sliding down the fire pole and making me jump.

"Still," I told him.

"What's the rush?" Shane asked strangely.

I called Ember. "Hello?"

"Nate?" she said, almost as if she were crying.

I made a face at my suspicion. "Um, yeah, it's me. Listen, Ive got to talk to Ash, now."

"A-Ash?" she stuttered. "She's not home right now."

"Well you know where I can reach her?"

I heard Ember's breathing and then a dial tone. She hung up.

"What happened?" Shane asked.

"Ash's in trouble," I whispered. "That or she _is_ the trouble."

"Guys!" Jason shouted after getting out of the elevator. He seemed out of breath. "Guys where's Aiden?"

"Isn't here somewhere in here?" Shane asked, turning his head.

Jason shook his head. "No. Dad and I've looked everywhere in the firehouse. He's not here."

"Well where else would the rug rat be?" Shane asked.

I groaned, rubbing my hand through my curls. "Ash."

**--ASH'S POV--**

I got out of the bathroom, dressed in my black spy clothes, along with my black and white cat ear hat, which I don't usually wear with my spy outfit. But, this is an occasion. "Well Ash, this is it."

Suddenly I heard a ruggage in the back part of the plane, where the passenger seats were. I narrowed my eyes and walked in, scanning the same area. I heard the thumping again and looked up there, in a baggage storage compartment above. I walked over and unlatched it, Aiden falling out.

"Aiden," I said sternly like I was about to ground him.

Aiden lifted his head, chuckling nervously. "Hehe, hi Ash."

"Aiden what on earth are you doing here?" I asked with one of my elbows leaning on one of the seats.

"See, I was hanging out at the G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters since I went with Dad. I got bored so I went to the planes. I climbed this one and wanted to see if I could fit in one of the compartments."

I starred down at him with a quizzical look. "So you went in one and fell asleep?"

"Well.... yeah," he said with a toothie grin.

I sighed. "Why doesn't this surprise me?"

"My turn to ask questions," Aiden said, getting up. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Looking for your mom," I said simply, walking back to the pilot's seat.

Aiden stood there, eyes blinking. ".... Here let me help you with that."

Out of no where the sound of a siren rang through our ears. Aiden looked around, wondering what was going on. I walked quickly up to the pilot's area and looked at the controls.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked behind the seat as I sat down, placing the headphones and speak over my head.

"I don't know," I said, checking all the settings and controls.

"Oh man. I saw this on TV. I bet something major happened, like the engine's busted up or something got caught in the propellers or- ....We have gas right?" Aiden asked in a more calm manner than previously, remembering the last time we all took a flying vehicle without asking and Shane never bothered to check the fuel tanks.

"Don't worry we have gas," I said, seeing the little meter. "I don't know why but everything's gone haywire. Maybe interference from the jungle."

"Is that bad?" Aiden asked.

"Nah, I can totally handle this," I said, trying to steer the unbalanced plane. "It's not as bad as I thought it'd all turn out to be."

"Ash!" Nate's voice shouted from the headphone and speaker, making my concentrated-looking face frown.

"And now it is," I mumbled, closing my eyes.

"Ash is that you?" Jason asked unsure.

"Yeah it's her," Aiden answered for me, making me give him an unbelievable look.

"Ash what the heck are you doing on a G.R.A.Y plane?!" Jason asked in disbelief. I could mentally picture him dropping the phone if I told them what I was doing.

"None of your beeswax," I responded, trying to regain control of the plane that was still unsteady at the moment for some unknown reason. I looked out the window and saw we were flying over some ocean-like lake area in the island.

"Non of our beeswax? That's our plane!" Jason shouted through the speaker.

"Not really anyone's plane since none of you guys are spies anymore," Aiden pointed out, making me roll my eyes.

"And so what? I know what I'm doing," I said calmly.

"ALERT, PASSENGERS GRAB OXYGEN MASKS AND FASTEN SEAT BELTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CRASH LANDING," said some robot voice from somewhere in the plane.

"Yeah thanks!" I shouted to absolutely no one.

"We're gonna crash again!" Aiden panicked, holding onto the arm of the pilot's chair.

"Ash where are you?!" Nate shouted.

"I wouldn't tell you even if I knew!" I gritted through my teeth. "Argh, I don't know what's wrong with the controls! It's interference!"

"Don't worry. We'll track you down," Shane said, trying to remain calm.

"How can they? They're not spies anymore," Aiden said, squinting his eyes shut. It was true.

The plane crashed into the waters of the island. I grabbed Aiden and the map and broke open a window, swimming out of it before the whole thing exploded. So much for my bag.

I saw Aiden was conscious still and he nodded, meaning he was okay. Then somehow we got caught in a water current that came out of no where, us being carried off with it. I held onto Aiden's wrist, not letting him out of my sight. The guys would never forgive me if I lost him. We went down deeper and into this underwater cave and out. I opened my eyes a little and saw something red at the bottom somewhere.

_'A volcano underwater?...'_

Aiden and I were brought up to the surface, coughing out water. I made Aiden's hands stay on my shoulders behind so he could stay afloat without using up too much of his energy. "Hey, little buddy, you alright there?"

He coughed a little more. "Never better."

After wiping some water out of my face, if it was possible, I looked at my surroundings, suddenly amazed. Around me, was this whole new world. It was inside something but, like a whole outside. "Come on Aiden, let's get out of the water first. Then we can figure out where we are."

Aiden held the same face as I swam. "Will we ever see the others again?"

I continued swimming, not answering his question. This was why I wanted to go alone, but instead Aiden comes along. Great.

**--NATE'S POV--**

"Ember we know you were the last to see Ash," Shane said, interrogating her at her house.

"You guys should just forget about Ash now," Ember said, trying to ignore the guys.

"Ember this is important. Not only are we missing Ash, but she has Frankie with her," Jason told.

Ember looked at the three Gray brothers. "She said she was going alone," she muttered.

"Where did she go, Ember?" I asked again. I wasn't leaving without answers. "Please, I have to know. Is she in danger or not?"

Ember closed her eyes, not liking the idea of talking about Ash at the moment. "I don't know exactly what she's doing, but she said she might not come back."

Our eyes widened, but I was speechless. Not come back? Just where was my best friend anyhow?

"If you want to find her, track her down," Ember said, walking out of the room. But of course, we followed her.

"We can't. We no longer have access to the control room," Shane said, right behind her. "And we don't have our watches anymore, so how can we track Ash down?"

"I'm not saying anything," Ember said still walking.

"Ember their plane crashed," Jason spoke up, making Ember stop walking and Shane bump into her back. It didn't phase her though.

"What?" she said, her back still towards us.

"We tried to contact her," Jason explained. "Her plane was out of control. We lost contact with her after the crash."

"Wait she got a _plane_?" Ember repeated, turning around with a look.

"She took it from our G.R.A.Y Transportation Headquarters," I explained. "Please, if we want to find Ash, we'll have to find her now with all the help we can get. And we need reasons why she would even leave. _Why_ would she leave with not even talking to us?"

"That's just it Nate, she didn't want to talk to you guys," Ember told. "It'd be too painful, not to mention it'd make things more difficult than it'd have to be."

"Just please, tell me what she's doing," I repeated, worried sick now, if I already wasn't. "I'm dying here, Ember. She's my best friend and I won't just sit back and wait to hear the answer to whether she's dead or alive. I won't. And it's killing me to think she'd leave and not care about us." She avoided eye contact, which meant I was getting to her. "Tell me what she's doing."

Ember was now on the brink of tears that she shut her eyes, hanging her head. Her hands went to her eyes as she fell into Shane's arms, catching him by surprise. "She went... she went..."

"She went where, Ember?" Jason asked. through her sobs.

"She went to find your mom," Ember said in a muffled voice.

Suddenly everything around me disappeared. Did I just hear right? Ash left, to find our mom? "Ember that's crazy," Jason spoke up.

"No, she found a letter from your mom. She's alive, and on the back was a map. It was old but Ash still believed it was true. She left to make sure of it," Ember said, crying.

"Wait what map? What note? What did our mother say?" I asked, getting all these questions in my head. And I'm sure Shane and Jason weren't in any better position than I was.

Embed sniffled. "Either way that map will take Ash far, farther than you can imagine she says. Even if you were to track her down, it'd take a miracle to even get to where she is right now, if she's even alive."

I blinked for a second. I just realized I was holding my breath, down to the second Ember said she wasn't even sure if Ash was alive. And not only Ash, but our little brother too. "That's it, I'm gonna go look for her."

"Nate-"

"No Jason. I have to do this. I'm not doing this just to find my Mom. I'm doing this to find Aiden and Ash. My little brother and best friend are who knows where now. Like Ash said, Shane, if she can't be a spy with us, she'd rather not be a spy at all. And that's exactly what's I'm saying now, if Ash isn't alive, then why should I." And with that I ran out of the building, heading back to the fire house.

"Did you just hear what he just said?" Shane asked, the three of them looking at the door in shock.

"He must really love Ash, doesn't he," Ember said, still a bit watery in the eyes.

"He does," Shane agreed. "... Our little bro's becoming a man."

"Well, no use having them both dead. Come on Shane, we're going too," Jason said, heading to the door.

Shane nodded. "Right."

"Wait, not you too," Ember said, following like a lost puppy. "If anything I should come with-"

Shane placed his finger on Ember's lips, Jason watching from the open door. "No Em. _We_ need to do this. You should stay here. It's too risky."

"Shane if you think that I'm going to let you guys-"

"Ember do you realize how dangerous this is?! I don't want to risk losing you!" Shane snapped, shaking her shoulders. "Not you..." he repeated softly this time, saying the last part in a whisper.

Tears started falling out of Embers eyes again. "Come back home safe?" she hiccuped, holding Shane's hands.

Shane smiled and nodded. "We'll bring back Ash and Aiden too."

Ember let go of Shane's hands as he and Jason ran out the door. Ember stood there, now all alone in the house. Before she could even think it was over, Shane ran back in and grabbed Ember's face pulling her into a sudden passionate kiss. They broke off and starred at each other for about two seconds before Shane ran off again after Jason.

Ember smiled, holding her hands shut up to her chest. "Please be okay...."

**--ASH'S POV--**

Aiden and I were walking through a jungle like place, filled with over overgrown trees and leaves, some I've never even seen before through all my travels as a spy.

"Ash where are we?" Aiden asked on my back.

"I don't know yet," I answered honestly, pushing all the giant leaves out of my way. "I'm trying to reach higher ground so we can get a better view of everything."

"That sounds like a good idea," Aiden said as I trudged through the mystery place. "This would be so much easier if you had your watch. You could use it to scan the area and contact my brothers."

I smirked. "Yeah, a good spy relies on gadgets and knowledge. But a great spy relies on strategy and heart."

Aiden smiled. "Where'd you hear that from?"

I stopped and turned my face towards him, smiling. "Me."

Finally we arrived past the trees and our mouths hung open. In front of us was a huge, big, lost-city civilization-like place. It was like those Aztec or Mayan things I learned in history. At least, I think it is.

"Are we still in the present or did we go back in time or something?" Aiden said, still on my back.

"I don't know," I answered again. "But I have a weird feeling that for once, we are seriously way in over our heads."


	51. SPECIAL: My Story Pt2

_After a long year, Ash's adventure as a G.R.A.Y spy finally comes to an end. But she won't let it end so easily. Without any help from G.R.A.Y, she decides to sneak off once again on one last self-mission. But when Nate finds out, he's determined to get her back home alive before everyone has to go their separate ways. But, of course, this adventure has a twist like every other, the end of the world. Can Ash save it? Or is it really the end of everything?_

* * *

**CHAPTER 51: My Story Pt2**

I began walking through. Everything under was stone. Everything was stone. There was no blue sky above, just clouds and more clouds. Around everywhere were people, but in different clothing than ours. Like Indians but, somewhat modernly. But the only color of the cloth they were were white.

"Okay...." I said.

Suddenly people in huge masks ran at us with spears. They seemed to be speaking some other language, one I've never known before. Aiden and I jumped back, obviously surprised and scared.

"Ash what's happening?" Aiden whispered.

I smirked. "Hold on tight." I jumped over all of these mysterious people and started running. One of them shouted something and commanded the rest to chase after me. I ran through the ancient looking city, people gasping at my speed.

"Ah geez why'd I have to sleep on the plane?!" Aiden shouted, regretting this crazy fieldtrip

"Now this is the life!" I grinned, running my fastest until I hit a palm tree, making me fall down. Figures. Aiden and I sat back up holding our heads, until we had spears at our necks with our hands raised.

"Kibosh ra shkotwa. Ki jalopan hiesro. Koba qiga yoshar!" said one of them. Now you could understand why I didn't follow.

"Um.... we come in peace?" I said, not really knowing what to say.

"Ke shol nogtor ki lotra Mana," another said, pointing their spear at my key. I winced, thinking they were trying to poke my head off.

"They're interested in your key," Aiden realised.

"A lot of people been," I said. They backed up as one came forward, taking off their mask.

"Your language is English, yes?" said the man.

"Um, yes," I answered. I didn't know whether to be happy or not they spoke English.

"Come with us," he said.

Aiden and I stood up, our hands still in the air. We followed them through the city, like prisoners about to be sacrificed to a volcano.

We went through this giant stone wall. Corridors were there that let us pass through, the two guards stepping back and letting us go. The rest of the guards behind stopped as the one who spoke to us kept going forward, us following. And inside past the wall, was a strange palace-like setting. But, there were no walls. Just more historic looking plants and a throne, where a girl was. Everyone's hair was black that I noticed.

But the girl on the throne had some kind of white marking under her left eye, and some white tattoos on her arm. Her clothing was simple cloth hanging around, also white. Everyone looked alike really.

"Donam to joko," she said, sitting up and glaring.

"Shol Rugnomto, ki gotoel," the man said, kneeling on one knee. Aiden and I followed the suit instantly, not wanting to get into any more trouble than we already were.

"Dotan," she said, making the man bow his head and stand, walking back. The girl stood and jumped off her throne, jumping over the stones on the water. Her throne was surrounded by a small moat. Aiden and I stood up as the giant stone doors shut, sealing us here with this girl. She landed in front of us.

"You speak English, no?" she asked with some sort of accent.

"Yeah?" I said with a suspicious look. "Who are you? Where are we?"

She circled me, as if inspecting me. "You've got that key."

"Do you know what it is?" I asked. "Because I sure don't."

"She looked up at me and into my eyes. "What is your name?"

"Ashley," I answered. "And this is my friend, Aiden."

"Ashley you say," she said with a finger to her chin. "My name is Anaysis, Princess of Atlantis. We share the same father."

"Who share the what where now?" I repeated as Aiden's eyes grew wide. "I mean I can get past the princess part and the Atlantis part but we what?!"

"D-Did you say Atlantis?" Aiden asked.

"You're obviously form the surface," Anaysis said, looking us up and down. "But you, Ashley, you are true Atlantean blood."

"Hold on, you said we share the same father," I said, trying to follow. "D-Do you mean we're-"

"Ash!" shouted a familiar voice. I turned and saw a woman from the sidelines. She had dark curly hair and her hands covering her mouth.

That's where it hit me.

"Diane Gray," I said in a whisper.

She ran to me and hugged me, almost crying. "Oh my gosh I can't believe it! You've grown so much."

"Mom?" Aiden asked. I was surprised. Even though he was so young when she left, he still recognized her.

"Aiden," she said, hugging him too. Aiden smiled and hugging her back.

Anaysis smiled at this touching moment. "You know these people, Diane?"

"Yes, this is my son and good friend," Diane said, standing up. "I can't believe you two are here. H-How'd you find this place-"

I took out a leter from my pocket. "You made this didn't you."

Diane looked at the letter then at me. "You found it."

I nodded. "Yeah. I, decided to follow it and find you, for the guys."

Anaysis smiled, walking to the doors. "I see you have much catching up to do. Diane I will leave you with them, but when you are done, I must speak with my sister."

"Thank you," Diane said as Anaysis went through the door.

"Sis huh," I repeated, the doors closing. "Now I definitely know I'm way in over my head."

--**NATE'S POV--**

"I still don't get how we're going to find her," Shane said as the three of us drove in Kevin's car.

"Well we know that she took a G.R.A.Y plane," I said. "We just have to get to the G.R.A.Y Transportation HQ and track where her plane crashed. It might give us a better clue of where she went."

"But how are we even going to get into the Transportation Headquarters?" Jason said, driving.

"We just have to think like Ash. We'll find a way in," I said sternly. "We'll crawl through the vents and try to stay out of sight. And once we got to the control room there we'll have you go onto the computer, replay a security tape to find out which plane Ash took, and track it down."

"Now you're really thinking like Ash," Shane remarked.

"Because I really have to find her. I'm not losing her like we did Mom," I said. "I'm not giving up that easily."

Jason smiled. "Alright then. So we track her down. How are we going to get to her?"

"Fly there ourselves," I said. "If Ash can sneak off a plane on her own with Aiden, can't be that hard for us. We'll steal a plane, too."

"You're thinking so much like Ash it's scaring me," Shane repeated with a now nervous look.

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Jason asked.

"And you do realize we might not come back," Shane said. "If Ash is risking her neck to go so far, so are we."

"I know that," I said, starring out the window.

"But now it's Ember I'm worried about too," Shane added, looking out the window. "Ember's stubborn like Ash. She'll follow us. I'm telling you Ash is a bad influence. First Nate and them Ember!"

"Says the guy who keeps pre-leathal weapons in his underwear drawer," Nate replied with a smug look.

"I know," Shane said as if he though he were the smartest guy in the car. "I taught her too well."

"Besides Ember can't follow. It's impossible," Jason said, getting back to the original subject.

"She would though," Shane defended."And she will. That wasn't the last we've seen of Ember.

"Tell me if I'm wrong but it's almost like you _hoping_ Ember will follow," I said smirking. "And how do you know?"

"'Cause Shane wants to make out with Ember before he dies," Jason said laughing, making Shane turn his head around.

"Oh it's on," Shane said before attacking Jason, making the car spin go left and right with the horn honking. I had to try and break them up while trying to stop the car.

"Argh!!!" _HOOONK_

"Shane stop trying to strangle Jason!"

"Strangler!!!" _HOONK_

"No get over here!"

"Quit it!"

"You're all heavy!"

_"HOOONNKKK!!!"_

--

"We're following them!" Ember shouted.

"Don't you think that'd be a bit out of line?" Mysti asked, drinking coffee.

"I didn't come all the way here just to hear that," Ember said stubbornly. "Don't you know that Nate, Shane, Jason, and Ash may not ever come back?"

"They resigned," Mysti said.

"Yes I know that but-"

"They resigned," Mysti repeated. "And yet they're still doing their work. They no longer consider this a spy mission, they consider it their mission. So if anything, they'll be more determined than ever. They'll be fine."

Ember softened her face. "I guess."

Mysti smirked, putting down her coffee. "But, boys are still idiots. They could use help like us."

"But how though?" Ember asked confused. "That's where I'm stuck at. I don't know where they're at anymore. I'm not a spy."

"But I was," Mysti said, walking over to a phone on her wall. She pressed a button on it. "Yes, this is Ashley Drame, G.R.A.Y Agent, Team 1."

Ember's eyes widened. "You're impersonating Ash?"

"The Grays' dad never resigned her name yet," Mysti whispered. "It takes time to terminate a spy's ID code from the computer. I know."

"Wow," Ember said impressed, watching Mysti.

"I would like to talk to agent Tristan Felwar stationed in Maimi, Florida, Brington Heights for boys."

"Isn't that the guy that Ash met when she went there for a mission?" Ember asked.

Mysti nodded. "He's the one. According to Ash, he's a genius. We could use his help."

"Hello?" Tristian asked on speaker. "Ash that you? Long time since I've heard from you."

"It's not Ash," Mysti said in her same tone. "This is Mystique Lostrin, Ash's friend."

"Oh, uh, hello," Tristan said awkwardly.

"Listen, I'm a former agent so you don't have to be beating around the bush with me," Mysti told. "We need your help."

"Depends, what kind of help?" he asked.

"Ash and the Grays resigned," Ember said, Mysti letting her speak. "But Ash snuck out of the country on a G.R.A.Y plane. The guys are trying to find her."

"Knowing Ash that doesn't really surprised me."

"Get in line. You're not the only one who's ever thought that," Ember said. "Anyway, we need your help tracking all of them. None of them has their gadgets since they've resigned. And we've got to hurry and find them before something happens."

"You guys are in Wyckoff right?"

"Yes," Mysti and Ember answered.

"I'll be right over. Time to repay Ash's debt," Tristan said, hanging up.

"Good plan," Ember said at Mysti.

"A good spy knows when to call for help," Mysti smiled with a hand on Ember's shoulder. "And a good friend knows when to call for help for their idiotic friends."

--**ASH'S POV--**

"So, they're that successful," Diane said, the three of us talking.

"Yup," I said, smiling a little. "I was really going to miss them once I moved. But, since I'm stuck here, I have no idea what's going to happen."

"Well know that everything happens for a reason," Diane smiled.

"That's what Nate, Shane, and Jason always tells us," Aiden said, hugging his mom.

"Yeah," I said, the small wind blowing against my hat.

"You know," Diane said. "You should really talk to Nate about your little crush on him."

No surprise that Diane would know that. "I don't know. ....Wait what?"

"Ash you were too young for me to say this to you all those years ago, but I remember one night with my husband when we thought about grandkids. And our minds went straight to you and Nate."

My eyes widened and my face heated up red as Aiden laughed.

"You never know unless you try," she said. "You and Nate have been best friends longer than anyone I've ever known."

"But," I said, remembering my first date with Timothy and what he said to me. "It's just a crush. In the end we're just going to get hurt."

She smiled and sighed. "Ash, I can tell that how you feel towards my son isn't just a child's crush. It never was."

"So, it's... it's uh..." I noticed Diane and Aiden starring at me, waiting for me to complete that last dreaded word. "A um..... super crush?"

"Ash!" Aiden laughed.

"Oh love!!.... Wait what?!" I jumped.

"Only you can figure it out, Ash. But it's not a crush," Diane repeated.

I groaned, trying not to believe this. "I think I get it."

Aiden starred at me. "So you admit you liked Nate?"

My face turned towards him with a deadly icy stare, making him laugh nervously, knowing to keep quiet.

"Are you all finished?" Anaysis asked, coming through the stone doors.

"Pretty much," Diane said, standing up. "Come on, Aiden. I'll take you around while Ash and Anaysis talk."

"Goodluck," Aiden said waving as he and Diane left.

I sighed, standing up too. "So, what's there to tell me? That, I've had a long lost sister? Or, that my parents have been keeping this secret from me? Or maybe that this legend of a place really exists!"

"Ashley I know this is all a shock to you," Anaysis said, calming me down. "But believe it, it was all for the best."

She sat us down on the stone, our bare feet in the water.

"It's true, that we share the same father," she said. "Our father was a prince of Atlantis."

"So he was royalty," I said.

Anaysis nodded. "Yes. He and his brother were in line for the throne. Every oldest son in the royal Atlantean family has a special gift, a magic, a power so great.... a power that was to be used to rule Atlantis in peace."

"My father was supposed to be king," I said in realization.

"But he did not want to," he said. "But he didn't want for his brother, our uncle, to be ruler. Our uncle is evil, jealous of our father for the magic he had. So, years ago, a decade, our father turned our uncle to stone."

I gasped, trying to keep my shock in. My Dad would do that to his own brother? He was able to do that?

"It was for the good of the Atlantean people," Anaysis said. "I was his daughter then. I'm nothing but a mere 7 years older than you," she told me. "Father sealed away his powers into a key."

"They Key of Power," I said, touching my necklace.

"Yes," Anaysis said, looking at it. "He sealed away his magic, and kept it some place where it would never reach the hands of mankind, a place no one could get to it." She sighed. "But, only a true Blood Atlantean Royal, can reach it. And you found it, Ashley."

"So that why," I said.

"You must have found some way to overcome it's powerful magic, some way to harnest it into slumber," she said, taking my hands. "You are our new ruler to be."

"What?" I gasped, stood up. "N-No way. I-I'm not even past my first year of high school! And, I'm still trying to get through stupid guy troubles, I can't rule a country that I barely knew, let alone know that existed! No way, nuh-uh. Not happening. Sorry."

"I understand your shock, Ashley," Anaysis said, being the kind of understanding sister I've always wanted. "You're just like Dad, not wanting to rule. You'd have to go through an arraged marriage. Dad already went through that and had me, hoping to have had a son who could have the power and rule in his place. But, women of Atlantis can not gain that power from birth."

I starred at her, listening.

"But for the mean time, you must protect that key, Ashley," she said, standing up too. "It's what keeps Atlantis and the surface at peace. If it was to ever fall into the wrong hands, it would cause the end of the world."

".... That's a nice burden to hold over a 15-year old's shoulders," I said sarcastically with a nod.

"Diane has been studying Atlantis from the surface," Anaysis stated, looking up at the cloudy sky. "She then came here, and has been stranded here since. But, she's done many things for our people. She's cured our sick, taught our unwise, taught us the truth of our religion.... She taught us about her love for her lost family above us."

"She still cared about her sons," I smiled.

"And you," Anyasis said. "I've always wanted to meet my younger sister," she laughed.

"Has she ever tried to get back up to the surface?" I asked.

"Yes, we've all tried to help her," Anaysis told. "But, we could not find the technology possible. Before, Atlantis had used it's King's power for it's source of energy."

"Well I have it now," I said, looking back at my key. "I just don't know how to use it. If I could, I could probably return back to the surface."

"Or you could stay and help rebuild our lost city," Anaysis said. "Atlantis is dying. We've been striving for years on our oceans and plants and civilians."

"And you think me becoming queen can solve all this," I said with a face.

"Yes!" she said naievely.

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. "I wish I had my friends here."

"You mean the Grays," she said. "Tell me about, the normal teenage life if which I've heard so much about. What is it like to, how you say, have a crush."

I laughed. "A crush isn't really something that's the same amongst everyone like how an arrange marriage is," I started. It was odd, the younger 15-year old sister telling her 21-year old sister advice on guys. But, I could manage. "In my case I think I have a crush on-"

"Nathaniel," she said. "Yes, everybody in Atlantis knows it."

"Y-you do?" I blinked.

"Why of course! Diane has told us so much about it!"

I blinked with a face. "Please don't let any one talk about it."

"Done and done," she said, jumping up on some stones and rocks. I found it amazing how she could do that. I followed her and made it to the top of the wall. She grabbed this huge hammer thing and banged it on a giant gong, making my ears bleed. She then took this horn-like object. "People of Atlantis! A new law has been made! Do not talk, about Ashley Drame and Nathaniel Gray's love!"

I slapped my forehead. "This makes detention with Ms. Autumn seem like heaven."

--**NATE'S POV--**

I jumped down from the vent and looked left and right, seeing no one in the room. "Alright guys come on."

Jason jumped down from the vent, followed by Shane. Shane went over to the door to keep watch as Jason sat on the chair, typing into the computer. I was behind him, looking at everything.

"Alright, so you know what to do?" I asked.

"Yes you've explained the plan to us 12 times. I think you got your message through," Jason said sounding annoyed. "Play back."

We saw all of the mini monitors acting as security watch blank out and turn into one big screen. It showed a couple hours back. Ash was there, sneaking around to the flight panel, where all the planes were. We watched as she easily got onto one and took took it out. I guessed Aiden was already inside.

"That easy," I said to myself.

"Her plane number is 68," Jason said, typing into the keyboard again. It showed a map of the globe and narrowed down to near Greenland where the blinking red light is. "That's where she crashed," Jason said. "According to here, the plane's long gone by now, exploded and sunk."

"No doubt she probably go out of that mess," I said. "I know she's alive. She's somewhere."

"We'll use what we can and fly over there," Jason said, taking a GPS from the place. "Alright, we've got her location set. We just have to get something that can go underwater, fly, and plow through snow and stone."

"Does this place even have something like that?"

"There's always the U.F.V," Shane said from the door.

"The you've? I repeated.

"No, U-F-V. Underwater Flying Vehicle," Shane explained.

"How do you even know something like that," I asked surprised. "You know where it is?"

"In Wing 23," Shane said, looking out the door. "We know how to get there through the vents. Come on."

"Almost hard to believe Aiden made a map of the entire G.R.A.Y Transportation HQ's air ducts," Jason said to me.

After following Shane, we entered a guarded room, the guards outside. We jumped down and found the thing. It looked almost like some kind of over sized car or sub. "The things we do for Ash," Shane said.


	52. SPECIAL: My Story Pt3

_After a long year, Ash's adventure as a G.R.A.Y spy finally comes to an end. But she won't let it end so easily. Without any help from G.R.A.Y, she decides to sneak off once again on one last self-mission. But when Nate finds out, he's determined to get her back home alive before everyone has to go their separate ways. But, of course, this adventure has a twist like every other, the end of the world. Can Ash save it? Or is it really the end of everything?_

* * *

**CHAPTER 52: My Story Pt3**

--**ASH'S POV**--

I was laying in my room, having just woken up from that same dream.

_"I love you_._"_

That was the one thing that got to me from the dream. The voice was so familiar, but yet so... distant. So distant that I couldn't make out who it was. As far as I knew, all those other voices from the dream, were kind of like a prediction. Was something going to happen? Were they warnings? If they were.... who says I love you?

"Good morning," little Aiden said, walking into my stone bedroom.

"Hey," I said, seeing him. "Aren't you eating breakfast?"

Aiden made a disgusted face. "No way. Did you _see_ the food they have here? It still moves, yuck."

I chuckled, letting him sit at the end of my bed. "Well at least you can say Atlantis is definitely not like the surface."

"I guess," Aiden said. "I still wonder how the others are doing."

"I was too," I answered honestly. "Let me ask you something. Do you know anyone who might love me?"

Aiden's mind automatically went to Nate. He had so many flashbacks of Nate denying all claims made towards him on a daily basis when I wasn't around.

_"I do not, have a crush on Ashley Drame."_

_"No I don't!"_

_"Like, noooo."_

_"Yeah..... Wait no!"_

_"Really I don't like her."_

_"She's just my best friend."_

_"For the last time NOOO."_

_"I like Ash Drame!.... Wait no you didn't hear that Aiden get back over here- AIDEN!"_

"Aiden?" I repeated.

Aiden snapped out of that last flashback. "Sorry. No one comes to mind at that question."

I sighed,laying my head back on the flat pillow. "I keep having these dreams about future predictions or something."

"Go on," Aiden said, acting like my therapist.

"And then there's a voice saying _I love you_. I don't know who it is."

Aiden starred at me, wondering if it's Nate. "Do you recognize the voice?"

"No," I said sadly. "But it's gonna happen soon I bet. I have to find out who."

"You will," 9-year old Gray assured me. "And when you do, come tell me. I made a bet with Shane and Jason. And once you find out who it is, I'm going to be 50 bucks richer."

With that Aiden left the room with me laying in bed, dumbfounded. "Huh?"

--

Mysti answered her apartment door, revealing a tall, teen person. "You must be Tristan."

"And you're Ash's friends," he said in the same manner, a bit unsure.

"I'm Ember, this is Mysti," Ember introduced.

"So I see that Ash has gone off by herself, and Nate and his brothers chasing after her," Tristan said, setting up some equipment. "And I'm guessing this is all mostly on Nate's behalf."

"Wow he knows them so well," Ember said grinning at Mysti.

"Yeah," Mysti said. "You know how to find them?"

"I think so. I've got a jet on the roof so we don't have to worry about transportation," Tristan said. "And I'm alone so don't worry."

"Good," Ember said. Suddenly the ground started shaking, everything rumbling. Some of Mysti's things started falling to the ground, shattering to pieces. Eventually it stopped. ".... Yeah, alone."

"Tthat didn't feel good," Mysti said. "What was that?"

"A sudden earthquake of some kind," Tristan answered on his labtop. "According to here, the entire earth experienced it."

"Everything?" Mysti asked. "Must be some kind of force to have cause it."

"It was," Tristan said. "It ranged from somewhere between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans."

"You know why?" Ember asked.

"No, all I know is that there's a disturbance there," Tristan explained. "There's some kind of force in the ocean that's causing the disturbance."

"The guys did say that Ash's plane crashed," Ember said nervously. "Was it that?"

"Nothing like a plane crash into the ocean could have caused something like a world wide earthquake," Tristan said until his eyes widened. "Did you just say her plane crashed?"

"Yeah not that unusual for us, spy boy. Help us!" Ember retorted, grabbing Tristan's shirt.

"I don't know about you guys, but I hear beeping," Mysti said with crossed arms, making Ember and Tristan look at the labtop.

"What now?" Ember asked.

Tristan looked at his labtop and at the many colors on the map. "It's strange, that weird force that started the earthquake is, moving."

"Moving?" I repeated.

"It is," Mysti said. "I can feel it, the vibrations on the ground. That's how strong they are."

"Well what is the source anyway?" Ember wondered.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Tristan said, seeing the red color spreading across the monitor and the countries. He closed in on it and got a closer view. There he saw a town, all the buildings knocked over and skies red. It was chaos everywhere. All the cars were turned over too.

"Oh my gosh," I said. "So fast."

"Well it takes a while for an earthquake to spread all the way to here. This must have happened some time ago, couple minutes probably."

Ember looked at Tristan. "You call that a short time?"

Tristan starred wide eyed at the monitor. "Wait, look at that."

Ember starred at the chaotic scene. "A statue. So?"

"It's a statue of a person," Tristan said. "Someone who was running."

"More statues," Ember said, looking at the background. All of a sudden the monitor went blank, only static.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mysti spoke up. "That country is only the beginning. It's a worldwide crisis."

"What?" Ember asked in disbelief.

"Those people have been turned to stone, Ember," Mysti stated more seriously. "Whatever that for-e thing Tristan told us about is, that's what's causing everyone to turn to stone. And eventually, it'll come all the way here to America."

"So it's like some wave that's spreading everywhere?" Ember asked.

"No, something's doing it itself," Tristan clarified.

"If I'm right," Mysti said. "It's probably _someone_. And since J.O.N.A.S hasn't even found a trace of it yet, it must be affecting it's entire system. No more tracking technology. We can only count on ourselves now."

Tristan and Ember looked nervously at Mysti then out the window. For now the sky was still blue and the city was still in tact. But eventually, it might end up, like the one on the monitor. This only worried Ember more. "We've got to get to Ash and the guys, now."

--**ASH'S POV--**

"Did you feel something?" I asked. Just a moment ago I could have sworn I felt the ground vibrate. Apparently the rest of Atlantis felt that one second shake.

"It's probably just the volcano," Anaysis told me as we walked around. "It tends to shake the land a lot. It's not that uncommon."

I nodded. "Alright."

"Where exactly are we going?" Aiden asked. He came with us since Diane had to do some work.

"You'll see," Anaysis said, making me and Frankie wonder. We made it to a desolate temple-like place made entirely of stone. There were some leaves and vines around, along with some inscribed lines and patterns. After walking inside, the place looked very empty, only for an alter to be on the inside.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"We Atlanteans come here to pay our respects to our former kings, but sometimes to those who have passed on in our lives," Anaysis said. "This temple was built upon mystic worshiping grounds, so it's said this place can give people he ability to talk to the deceased."

"Does it really work?" Aiden asked, curious.

Anaysis smiled. "In some cases. Sometimes the kings would come here, in hopes for a miracle. Father came here to seal his powers into that key."

I looked at my key. "So this was made here."

Anaysis nodded, smiling.

"Cool," Aiden said. "So Ash can come here anytime and do magic?"

Anaysis laughed. "It's not that easy, Aiden. The king would have to have a determined heart, have to have a mind in crisis, and courage." She looked up. The hole in the roof of the temple allowed sunlight to come upon the dome-like alter. "Centuries ago, our first king came here with his wife, pleading for a miracle. Atlantis was under attack. Their pleads were answered, at a costly price. The King's wife's soul, was taken away.... She died."

Aiden and I looked at Anaysis, being respectful and quiet.

"Atlantis was then taken underwater, sunken," Anaysis said. "Our people were fortunate enough to be able to rebuild. Sometimes, these miracles end up with the price of death for someone who accompanies the one with power."

I blinked, starring at the alter we circled. "And Dad...?"

"He died shortly after transferring his power into the key," Anaysis explained. "Once he hid it away with Diane's and G.R.A.Y's help, he passed away."

"I remember," I said, looking up at the sun hole. "Dad left for a trip. I came back home from school, and my mom told me that Dad was gone."

_I was running home from school. I was only 5, so it was 1st grade._

_"Hi Mom!" I said, running through the front door of the fire house. This was when we still lived here. My face changed through when I saw her with tears._

_"Oh Ash," she said, hugging me._

_I blinked, confused to her sudden change of actions. "Mom?... What's wrong?.... Where's Dad?"_

_Mom wiped her eyes, kneeling in front of me with her hands on my shoulders. I felt her shaking a bit. I never see her like this. "Ash, sweetie, Dad isn't here."_

_"What do you mean?" I asked with slightly cocked eyebrows._

_Mom sighed. "Ash.... Your dad passed away."_

_I dropped my bag, starring wide eyed. Now I knew why Jason and Shane were acting the way they were at school. They said that their parents told them something, and that Nate and I would find out later. And, here I am, finding it out. "What?"_

_"I'm sorry, Ash."_

_I turned around, running out the door. My bangs covered my eyes as I ran. I had to get to Nate's house. He was the only friend I could go to. And if I was right, he too was only just finding this out. I ran to the small house, the door open to me always. "Nate?"_

_Nate walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, not that surprised to see me._

_"Are you okay?" he asked sadly, already knowing._

_"I guess", I said, breathing steadily. We both sat on the couch in silence. I was looking at my feet the entire time, trying not to cry._

_"You can cry in front of me you know," Nate spoke up._

_I shook my head, the tears finally letting out. Nate hugged me and we didn't say a word. I cried for a while then. It was really hard to believe, the man I looked up to, gone. "Who's going to protect me now?" I sobbed._

_Nate just held onto me. "Don't worry, my brothers and I will be the new guys in your life to protect you. I promise."_

_"Things gone wrong, I know it's though  
With your loss I can't do much  
But I want to put that smile back on your face...  
Rocking back and forth again  
I don't do its just ;cause you're my friend  
You can cry in front of me  
It'll be okay..."_

_As Nate sang, it comforted me, his voice._

_"Rest your head back next to me  
Everything'll be fine and you'll see  
I'll protect you no matter what  
Even though I'm small  
I'll stand up to anything you meet  
Nothing can separate you and me  
That's what I promise you  
I give you my all...._

_Princes, knights, kings and men  
If you want I can be any of them  
I'll protect you until forever  
You know it's true  
Prettiest princess in the world  
Your oyster's gone and now the pearl  
Has nothing to hide within All there's left to do  
I'll protect you"_

_I smiled, just sitting there and hugging him, smiling. I was still sobbing, but I was happier now. "Thank you."_

"I am very sorry," Anaysis said. "You had to deal with that so young... I knew father wouldn't make it, so I was able to say goodbye."

"It was a long time ago," I said, wiping my eye.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Aiden asked, looking up at me.

"I'm just worried about your brothers," I said. "They sounded so worried when we talked to them on the plane.... They probably think we're long gone."

Aiden looked back at the alter. "Oh."

Anaysis gave a comforting smile. "I'm sure that everything will be fine. Everything happens for a reason," she said, rubbing my shoulder like a comforting older sister who wanted nothing but for her little sister to feel better. "Now about your becoming queen."

I gave her a look. So much for comforting. "And just who do you expect to be king?"

"I figured that Nathaniel boy but he seems to be a couple thousand miles away," Anaysis replied, until we heard someone appear at the door.

"Princess Anaysis, you must come quickly!" he said, holding his spear.

Anaysis nodded. "Come. We must see what's going on."

Anaysis started running, and Aiden and I followed. I was still in my spy uniform, so I was able to run very fast still. We arrived back in the city and saw a group of Atlanteans crowding around somewhere. I saw some smoke coming from some vehicle of some sort, a G.R.A.Y vehicle. "No way."

"Motas, motas!" Anaysis said, pushing through the crowd. We followed behind her, careful not to get lost. Once we got to the center we saw some of the Atlantean guards with their spears pointing at Nate, Shane, and Jason. The guys had their hands up, obviously surprised. That must be what Aiden and I looked like when we arrived.

"More visitors," Anaysis said, dropping her frustrated face. "Atlantis must be getting famous in your surface world," she commented to me.

"Guys!" Aiden shouted with a grin, running past the guards and hugging Jason. "Guys it's me!"

"Aiden?" Jason asked, obviously surprised.

"You guys?" I asked with a priceless face.

They looked up hearing my voice. "Ash!"

"These your friends, Ashely?" Anaysis asked.

"Um, Anaysis meet my friends Nate, Shane, and Jason."

The entire crowd started whispered, causing Anaysis to furrow her small eyebrows. "Everyone! Quiet! Remember the law!"

I rolled my eyes. "Thank heavens she announced that rule before wards."

"Ash!" Nate shouted, hugging me and making me smile. He twirled me around, making me notice his strong muscles. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

I smiled, getting out of his grip. "Wow, Nate uh, what a surprise. But, how did you guys find me? How'd you guys get here?"

"Ember told us," Shane said, making me make a face. "We sneaked into G.R.A.Y's Transportation Headquarters and tracked down where your plane crashed."

"Then we flew here after stealing a ride," Jason said, looking at Nate with an accusing look before going back to me. "But somehow there was interference like how you told us, and we crashed. We got caught in water current and arrived here."

"I tried flying us though that jungle back there but crashed here from lack a fuel," Shane said with a scoff, making _all_ of us spies look at him. "Who knew right?"

"Yes, lack of fuel, how surprising," I said squinting my eyes with a flat smile.

"But Ash," Nate said, grabbing my shoulders. "You didn't have to leave to try and find our Mom. We'd rather have you alive and well back home than risk losing you."

"But Nate I found-"

"Oh my gosh," Diane said. All of us turned our heads and saw her, tearing up again.

"Mom," Shane said with a smile, jumping and hugging her. Jason and Nate ran at her too.

"Don't forget me!" Aiden said, jumping onto Nate's back and into that huge group hug. I laughed at the sight.

"Oh man Mom you're alive!" Jason said, grinning.

"My, you boys are so handsome," she said, kissing each of their heads. "I never thought I'd see you all together again."

"But what are you doing here?" Nate asked.

"It's a long story," Diane said, hugging Nate. "But what are _you_ boys doing here?"

"We followed Ash," Shane said.

"What?" she asked, loosing the welcoming essence all mothers usually have. "You have any idea how dangerous that is?! If we were back at Wyckoff you three would be soo grounded!"

"Yeah, good to have you back, Mrs. G," I said with a laugh, crossing my arms.

"Well," Anaysis started. "I've got your rooms set up. You are welcome to stay here in Atlantis. I'll be back at the palace."

"Thanks Anaysis," I smiled, waving.

"Where'd she say we were?" Jason asked us with a bewildered expression.

"Who's that?" Shane asked suggestively, grinning and looking at her.

"She's my half sister," I said with a smirk making Shane jump.

"Whoa didn't see that coming," he said partly laughing, barely.

I laughed and shook my head. "Typical Shane."

"Shane were you just hitting on her?" Jason asked.

"Noooo," Shane defended.

"After you kissed Ember?" Nate added with a smile and arm around my shoulders.

Shane blushed as I hung my mouth open, along with Aiden. "You kissed Ember?" I asked with a grin.

"About time!" Aiden shouted.

"You two weren't even supposed to see that!" Shane whined to Nate and Jason, making everyone laugh.

I smiled, grabbing Nate's arm. "Come on, we've got a lot of catching up to do." I said, us running off with everyone distracted.

--

"So, this is Atlantis," Nate said, us walking around Atlantis at night.

"Yup," I said, my hands behind my back. "Kinda hard to believe...."

"Hard to believe? You having a long lost half sister, being royal, and finding out this place's fate lies in your key necklace seems more hard to believe."

I laughed, punching his arm. "That's a nice way to put it." I started climbing up some rocks. I held out my arm, Nate grabbing it. "You know, it _is_ Tuesday. I bet Ms. Autumn's going to give us detention until the end of June."

"Detention?" Nate repeated. "After all this all you can think about is school?"

"It's all I'd rather thing about," I said more calmly, still walking. "Let's face it. I'm supposed to move at the end of the week. And you guys still have to leave. If anything I wish I could go all the way back to September."

Nate looked down and stopped for a moment, only to run and catch up to me again. "You know, Shane told me why you resigned from G.R.A.Y."

"He did?" I asked confusingly.

"He said that you're not really happy for us having to leave. You were only faking that smile a few days ago," Nate said, us stopping. "You don't want us to leave, don't you."

I looked away and continued walking again, only at a faster face.

"Ash!" Nate shouted, coming after me.

"You want me to say it?"

"Yes!"

"Okay! I don't want you guys to leave! There?! Happy?!" I retorted, shouting it all out. I've been keeping that in ever since that mail arrived with the news.

Nate was breathing in and out, both of us tired. "Yes."

"I-I'm sorry about that. It's just.... Argh," I groaned, hitting a nearby rock and letting it roll.

"You don't have to be so brave," Nate said softly, letting us walk again. "We're not in the city right now. We're in a secluded place where there are no distractions. We can, be best friends instead of being spies again."

I smiled and turned my head. "That's why I took us here." I pushed away two trees and walked through, Nate following. We were at the top of a mountain, overlooking the entire land of Atlantis. We could feel the wind up here.

"Wow," Nate said, his mouth open. "This is amazing."

"I know," I said. "I didn't even know places like this could exist anymore."

Nate sighed, sitting down and relaxing. "You think we can live here?"

I laughed too, sitting down. "I think _I_ have to. You guys can go back up home now with your mom."

"What do you mean you have to live here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm the only one with _'the power'_. I can't leave now."

Nate looked back down over Atlantis. "So this is what it feels like."

"Like what feels like?"

"Having to deal with your best friend leaving," Nate said.

I chuckled. "I told you I was moving before. Didn't you feel it then?"

"Well with the occupation of being a rock star I figured I could visit you anytime," Nate laughed. "... But, I don't think I can visit Atlantis every day."

I sighed, hugging my knees and enjoying this moment. I laid my head on Nate's shoulder. I was tired.

"Listen. I've, had this weird dream before I found out you were missing."

"And?" I asked curiously. "What happened in the dream?"

He closed his eyes. "I... sort of blabbed something I probably shouldn't have, and Shane and Jason heard.... When I woke up I realized it never happened, which I'm grateful for."

"So what's the problem?"

"It taught me something," Nate said, thinking about his feelings for me. He took a big breath. "Ash I-"

"Love this!" Aiden shouted, making Nate and I look back. We saw people walking through the green and towards us. "They actually have fruit, Ash! Something we can eat and won't run off our plate!" Aiden shouted with a full mouth. Jason and Shane were right by him.

"Man you guys travel far," Jason said, looking around. "It's lights out. We have to get some sleep, as in you guys, too."

I nodded. "We're coming. Let's go, Nate."

"Um, right," he said, kinda upset.

As we all began walking back, I turned towards me. "Sorry, what were you trying to say before your brothers came?"

"Nothing important, forget about it," he said with a fake smile. I believed it, for now.

--

"I'm what?" I asked.

"We're having our annual Inculta Festival," Anaysis replied.

"No you told me I'm going to be part of some ritual."

"Ah yes. You're our long lost princess. Of course we'd celebrate that."

"Does it have to be for me?"

"Hm, a festival about the princess, for the princess. Seems fitting," Anayasis shrugged. "Not like we're giving it to an Argabus fish."

I groaned. "Just like the dances at school."

"Come on it'll be fun. Games, dancing, music, food, lit torches, flowers. It'll be fantastic. We only have this festival every ten years."

"Didn't you just say this festival was annual?" I asked, annual meaning every year, not every decade.

"Well sorry for not being familiar with your English language," she said, defending herself before leaving.

I sighed and sat down on a stone chair with my hands on my face. This is soooo...... weird.

--

"Makes you wonder what this is all about," Jason said, looking around the lost city with his brothers and mom.

Diane decided to speak up. "I may not have been through an Inculta Festival yet, but I've heard from the people that it's very beautiful. Very theatrical, graceful. It's a wonderful thing to experience."

"So what's Ash got to do with it?" Shane asked.

"Shane Ash is one of the two princesses of Atlantis. Of course she's going to be part of the festival."

Nate kept his hands in his pockets. "Hard to believe Ash's a princess, though."

Shane laughed at that remark. "Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that part. She barely looks like a princess, let alone acts like a princess."

"How so?" Diane asked curiously. These past days she's seen Ash, she's only heard of her sons, rather than Ash herself.

"She's a spy, she starts food fights, she's on Ms. Autumn's most hated list, she gets detention on a weekly basis, should I go on?" Jason said rather calmly.

Their mother blinked, still walking. "Hm, I never did like that teacher, Ms. Autumn."

"Alright Mom hates our teacher!" Shane said high fiving Nate and Jason.

Diane laughed. "For reasons. I remember during my first parent conference with Kevin's class in high school."

"Oh this oughta be good," Nate smiled while Jason shook his head.

"The other parents and I were in our seats, while our kids were off somewhere in the back of the gym. Suddenly that horrid teacher walks in and gives Kevin a detention for 6:45 the entire week just for not wearing a tie. Don't you think that's a little out of line?"

Shane looked at his older brother with an estranged face. "_You_? Got _detention_? For a _week_? Man it's like some hidden secret that's not supposed to be found out but we found out!" Shane was so used to Jason being the straight-A schollar. Just knowing he got detention from Ms. Autumn was a shock. "All this time I thought Jason was the only person in our group that's never gotten detention!"

"That's true," Nate admitted, still thinking about it, until something came up in his head. "Wait what about your friends? Didn't they get detention for not wearing ties, too?"

Jason, surprisingly, shook his head no. "Actually no. They all wore ties." Shane and Nate looked at each other questioningly. "I had weird friends."

"You got that right," Shane said. He could actually remember Kevin's old freshman friends, the guys who always wore ties.... creepy.

"How'd we get to this topic again?" Nate asked.

"You guys were talking about how Ash wasn't like a princess," Diane said, making all the guys go 'ohhh'. "And if you ask me she does have the qualifications of a princess."

"She does?" Shane asked in disbelief, almost scared sounding.

"Mom I kind of find that hard to believe," Jason said with a positive chuckle.

"I kind of disagree with you guys," Nate said like it was no big deal.

"Figures you'd say Ash's a princess," Shane laughed, only for Jason to cover Shane's mouth.

"Well she can dance without stepping on anyone's foot."

"Didn't one of you guys shout during your last dance?" Jason reminded.

"Oh yeah that was her I stepped on her foot," admitted Nate.

"No I'm positive it was you that screamed," Jason continued.

"After I stepped on her foot she kicked me," Nate admitted.

"Yes Nathaniel, she's very princess like," Diane nodded sarcastically, almost like how Shane would usually.

Nate rolled his eyes. "At least Ash knows when to be serious. She's also got good grace and balance. How else do you explain how she rode that bike on a type rope so fast?"

"Well duh she was fast. The bike was a motorcycle," Shane scoffed, surprising Diane.

"Either way I think she has the qualifications of being a princess. All the guys at school like her, surprisingly, and she looks, actually nice in a dress, let alone a gown,"

"Makes you wish we were tape recording all this," Jason whispered to Shane, making him nod. Not every day Nate compliments like this.

"How does Ash look in a dress?" Diane asked with a smile to her son.

Nate smiled, remembering the vary rare occasions I have ever worn a dress."She says she doesn't look good in them, but she really does.... She doesn't like to wear high heels most of the time so she usually wears sneakers underneath." That part made everyone laugh. "Basically just really beautiful."

"Who's beautiful?" my voice asked as the guys and Diane walked into one of the houses.

The boys looked up and saw me wearing one of the Atlantian traditional clothing. Simple white cloth tied around with some white marks acting as tattoos. Though I refused for them to be permanent so I asked for paint instead. My hair looked the same, but I had a white see-through cat ear hat. Honestly it was almost like a two piece bathing suit, except with.... cloth.

"Oh my you look s beautiful in that," Diane fussed, racing over to the daughter she never had. Anaysis was with them. "Are you wearing this during the festival."

"She's wearing this until midnight," Anaysis assured, making me roll my eyes as I stepped down from the pedistal to go over to the guys, wanting to leave Diane and Anaysis to their talking.

"So," I said, walking to the the Grays. "Where've you guys been? I haven't seen you all day?"

"Oh just, walking around.... and around," Shane said unsure, looking at what I was wearing. "Are you comfortable in that?"

I laughed, looking at myself. "Surprisingly yes. I thought I'd feel all awkward but I don't. It's not tight, no high heels, it's nice. ..... But some socks wouldn't hurt."

Jason chuckled. "To be truthful it's almost like a bathing suit. When was the last time you've ever worn one?"

"Probably during a mission."

"No that's a scuba diving suit. We're taking about a bathing suit," Shane clarified, making Nate glare, being over protective.

"Whatever," I said, shrugging it off. "Nate you haven't said a word since yesterday. You alright?"

Nate looked up and blushed. He was keeping his eyes to the floor this entire time. "I-I'm fine." Nate looked at his brothers from the corner of his eyes. "Hey Ash could I, uh, talk to you?" He looked at his brothers at the corner of his eyes again. "Privately?"

I smiled, not noticing my best friend's nervousness. "Sure. Let's go outside." I took his hand and walked outside into the rain-forest like atmosphere.

"So, what is it you want to talk about in private?" I asked. I was still thinking about that dream though, about the I love you thing. Could it be Nate?

"Uh," Nate blushed. "S-Sorry about this uh, it's just, weird seeing you like this."

"Ah, you're the only guy I know who'd say that," I admitted with a smile. "This is why you're my best friend."

"Right," Nate said, having a tough time with this. "About what I'm going to tell you, just know I am an idiot and I do idiotic things."

"You didn't run into a palm tree did you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. I think he was trying to confess to me. I could be wrong, getting my hopes up. But why was I making things harder for him by acting so oblivious. I guess it was instinct now.

"I-I," Nate stuttered, looking straight into my eyes. "Ash I think I-"

"AHHHHH!!!!!!" shouted a high pitched scream from inside the stone house behind us. We looked though the door and found an _really_ over sized bug in the room. And I mean _really_ over sized. The bug was like almost two feet tall. And that's a _big_ bug.

The scene in the room was quite funny actually. Diane and Anaysis were watching from the sides with scared faces while Shane was holding onto Jason, both on top of the pedestal. Shane, apparently, was the one with the high pitched scream. Aiden was running around chasing the super bug with a broom.

"Hey get back here!" Aiden shouted, waving the broom around.

"What's going on here?" I asked, almost afraid _to_ ask.

"I was helping the other kids watch the Groot Bugs and this one ran off!" Aiden shouted and explained. "Dude get back here this is tiring for me!"

"And terrifying for me!" Shane screamed, trying to keep away from the huge bug.

Nate and I looked at each other. To us, this was probably our way of getting back to normal.

--

That night, the sky was clear and filled brightly with stars. The plaza in the center of the city was decorated with stands and torches with fire. There was a huge stage too, performing music.

"Wow this looks awesome," Nate said, going around with Aiden.

"I know right?" Aiden agreed. "Did you confess to Ash yet?"

Nate looked down at his younger brother. "What are you talking about?"

Aiden rose an eyebrow. "Just know I'm different from the others. I can take a hint, or overhear in your case. I keep seeing you trying to confess to Ash, but, utterly fail each time."

"Because of your," Nate reminded. "The first time you interupted with fruit, the next time with your pet bug."

"Hey, those were all on purpose," Aiden said with his hands up. "The first time Shane and Jason were about to interrupt. The second time, Shane and Jason were going to interrupt. Would you rather have those two reporters catch you and rub it in your face, or me."

Nate thought about Aiden's logic. Knowing Shane and Jason, they _would_ tease him more, like he needed any more of taht at a time like this. And remembering his dream back in Wyckoff, teasing was a definite possibility. "Alright, you win."

"Just do it before it's too late," Aiden said. "You never know what's gonna happen."

"Of course I know," Nate objected. "Everything that happens to us now is predictable."

"You expected for Ash to run away to Atlantis to find out she's a long civilization princess?" Aiden asked.

"Something along the lines of that yes!"

Aiden rolled his eyes and the two continued walking, looking for me. "Hey, there's Anaysis. Maybe you can ask her where Ash is."

"Good idea. Thanks," Nate said, leaving Aiden to go on his own. Once he made it up to Anaysis, he tapped her shoulder. "Hey, have you seen Ash? I've been looking for her everywhere."

"So have I," Anaysis pouted. "She's supposed to be with me here overlooking the festivities. When she said earlier she'd rather play hide and seek than sit, she meant it."

"Hide and seek," Nate repeated. _'Duh Ash would hide from royal duties.'_ "I'll think I know where to find her. Thanks."

Nate left and went to the inner parts of the small city, seeing an abandoned street filled with laughter. Near the farm grounds he found me, still in Atlantian clothing, playing with young children, all of them piling up on me, all laughing. Nate smiled at the sight, until I saw him.

"Oh, Nate, hi," I said, seeing him and standing up.

"Oooooh," all the little kids said, making us blush.

"Oh quit it you guys," I chuckled. "Go to the festival. I'll see you guys later."

Obeying me, they all ran off back to the plaza.

"They seem to like you," Nate said, watching them disappear with his hands back in his pockets. "Anaysis has been looking for you. Something about overlooking the festivities or-?"

"Nah, basically all I'm supposed to do is just sit down on a rock-hard chair and watch everything. Looked boring so I followed a couple children here, had a little festival of our own, that is until you came along," she shrugged with a smile.

"Oh, sorry," Nate chuckled, licking his lips. "You, better get back though. Everyone might get worried their lost princess will get lost again."

"Walk me?" I asked Nate, him taking my hand and us walking back the way we came. "I've noticed you've been trying to tell me something ever since you got here. Now seems like a good time."

_'No interruptions_,_'_ Nate thought. "Right." He exhaled. "You see, I've been trying to figure out some things, these past couple days. And, on the day you left I, finally figured it out." Nate turned his head, still holding my hand. We locked eyes. "Ash I'm in-"

"So much trouble!" Anaysis shouted, marching up to me. Nate groaned in his head. He looked around for Aiden, seeing him slapping his forehead. He was probably trying to distract Anaysis. So much for that. "Where've you been?! We're all waiting for you! Ugh let's just go!"

With that she dragged me out of Nate's hold, our hands slipping apart in slow motion. With that I ended up in the center of the plaza, the rest of the colony of Atlantians surrounding us in a huge circle.

Nate ran up to the front of the crowd where his family was. "What are they doing?"

"It's a ritual they do at every festival," Diane explained to her sons. "It's like a moon-dance. It brings good will to the Atlanteans." She looked at Nate and Aiden. "And to the princesses, the dance tells them their future."

"How does it do that?" Aiden asked confused.

"You'll see," she smiled.

In the center stood Anaysis and I, both standing parallel from each other. We've rehearsed this before. Drums from the back round started playing, and we started moving to some sort of dance. I could see the Grays watching with a clear view, only making me more nervous.

As the drum beat got faster, so did our movements. Then the drums halted and something was thrown at us. Torches of fire. Anaysis caught two, as did I. The crowd marvels in amazement. I was just amazed I didn't get burned yet. If you think I'm safe now, watch this.

A new drum beat started and Anaysis and I resumed our dancing, while twirling our torches. The crowd seemed to be enjoying this as they were cheering for their Atlantean princesses.

"How long are we supposed to do this again?" I asked Anaysis, dancing behind me.

"You'll see," she answered back, her face completely focused on balance. From what she told me, this wasn't her most favorite part of the festival either.

Eventually, after about five minutes or more, my muscles started to tire out and when I flipped one of the torches, I slipped and fell down, sending both my torches into the air. And we all know the saying, what comes up must come down. I was beginning to hate the scientific theory of gravity.

The torches started falling down towards me, head first, meaning fire first. As I shielded myself with my arm I felt someone push me out of the way, or tackle in my case.

Nate and I rolled a few times on the stone ground, but eventually we stopped, him holding onto my body. We opened our eyes and looked back to where I was laying before, the two torches right there, standing upright like arrows. And the fire was still on too. Just the thought of me being under there gave me chills.

"Jakar to Rugnomto!" a man suddenly shouted out in Atlantean language, and soon enough the rest of the crowd cheered, yelling and clapping.

"You alright?" Nate asked, laying beside me. It was only then I remembered it was Nate who rescued me.

"I-I'm fine," I said, blushing at how close we were. For a second I forgot about how I was almost killed by fire. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said in the sane manner, still holding me. "Ash..."he began quite nervously. I think he was trying to tell me the same thing he's been trying to say these past couple days. "I think I-"

"Like dude that was so awesome!" Shane shouted, running to me and Nate with Aiden trying to hold him back. Not working out so well, Shane was practically dragging Aiden. "How you saved Ash looked soooo cool! Like some kinda action hero or something!"

"Ruining it!," Aiden gritted through his teeth, still trying to pull Shane back.

Jason kneeled down behind us. "Nate you do realized you're practically on top of her right?"

We both blushed and Nate finally let his grip off me. I didn't know why, but I felt sad he did.

"Oooh I am so happy for you, sister!" Anaysis shouted in happiness, picking me up and hugging me like there was no tomorrow.

"What'd I do?" my voice cracked, since my lungs were apparently cut off from air.

"And you!" Anaysis shouted, dropping me and picking up Nate. "Brother-in-law!" she said laughing and hugging him too.

"What's she doing now?" I asked, shaking my head as Jason helped me up.

"That dance you two just did was a ritual right?" Diane explained. "It kind of tells the future, based on the moon. And since it's a crescent moon, and it was Nate that saved you, you and Nate are to produce the next heir for Atlantis."

"What?" I asked in a somewhat alarmed tone. Nate seemed to have said the same thing, except in a cracked voice since he was still in Anaysis's hug. "How does that even work?" I asked in disbelief.

Shane laughed even more. "For once I know the answer to that," he said, walking up. Funny thing was, Aiden was still trying to drag Shane back to the crowd. "The princess is supposed to twirl the fire until it backfires in some way. The person who saves the princess has their destinies intertwined forever. _cough_Nate_cough_. If it's a full moon, the two are the next king and queen. If it's a first quarter moon, it means they'll win the next Atlantean war. If it's a Last Quarter Moon, it means you're going to be blood enemies. Then if it's a Gibbous moon, that means you two would be sacrificed. _And_ if it's a _Crescent Moon_, you two are going to produce the next heir to the throne!"

"What's that supposed to man?" I asked making a face. I'm not producing anything.

"Come on Ash, don't tell me you haven't been paying attention in biology class,' Shane teased.

"I haven't!" I shouted back honestly. "You of all people should know I don't pay attention to half my classes!"

"Sorry Ash," Aiden said, finally puling a still laughing Shane back. "He must have drunken something bad from the stands."

"Alcohol probably," Jason said wit a roll of his eyes. "I've always wondered what Shane would look like with a hangover." We all looked at him. "Now we know."

Diane sighed, not really that upset. Almost as if she were expecting something as random as this. "I'll go take Joseph home to, rest up."

"Bye," Aiden said, us watching Diane take her son back to their stone house.

"Well, the worst is over," Jason said to me, now that Anaysis was gone. "You can go enjoy yourself now."

"I guess I can," I said, smiling weakly.

"T-That thing Shane said is just a legend right?" Nate asked, thinking the same I was thinking.

"No-"

"For the most part yes," Jason said, covering Aiden's mouth. "You don't have to worry about it. Just go have fun. Let's go look around Aiden."

Jason walked away with Aiden, still covering his mouth. We could still hear Aiden's muffles screams.

"Okay well that was weird," I finally spoke up.

"Got that right," Nate agreed, realizing we were all alone again.

"Princess Ashley!" shouted the children's voices. I turned around and saw a small crown of kids.

"Hi guys," I smiled, Nate smiling too.

"Can you sing for us?" asked one of the little girls. "That song you sand back a little while ago."

"You sang for them?" Nate asked with an amused grin, surprised.

"Please Princess Ashley?" another boy asked.

I looked up to where the instruments were, seeing something that resembled an acoustic guitar. "For you guys."

The kids started cheering in Atlantean, making me laugh. I walked up to the men performing the drums and asked if I could use the guitar-like instrument. They looked a little shocked, but nonetheless allowed me. I sat on a rock and started strumming a few strings.

_"No old.... all new  
Makes you wonder where, it all had gone  
Can I look... around  
There's no stars to look upon_

_Before I used, to be be able to  
See, all the sky in view  
Too much daylight to see  
Anything I'd be looking for, I  
Want to travel back  
Keep heading there, no need to ask  
Don't need to keep goin'  
It'd be nice to stick around_

_I was to see, what used to be  
To hear, to feel  
What was in the past  
Relive the dreams, that we, believed  
To be a kid again..."_

As I strum the strings of the guitar, some of the kids had started to clap along. It was cute too. Then the men behind me started drumming along, Nate taking a guitar too and helping increase my sound. This time he sang:

_"The young.... the free  
Be with you, when we would always have  
All the time.... in the world  
Gotta help to get it back_

_At night I, flashback all the way to  
Scenes that all appear so new  
Is it bad I don't find them familiar, I  
Wanna travel past  
Everything here, don't hold me back  
Do I have to keep movin'  
It'd be nice to stick around."_

We both smiled at each other, and started singing the refrain together.

_"I want to see, what used to be  
To hear, and feel  
What was in the past  
Relive the dreams, that we believed  
Be a kid again."_

We began to sing the bridge.

_"Don't you ever feel that what you have isn't enough,"_ he sang.

_"Don't you ever wanna make believe that what we can't have..._" I continued.

_"Is right, here make it real!"_ we both sang.  
_"I want to see, what used to be  
To hear, to feel, oooh to, feel  
What was in the past, in the past  
Relive the dreams, that we believes to be a kid agaaiin...."_

The entire crowd started clapping, Nate and I smiling and bowing our heads in respect. Even the drummers behind us started clapping.

"I think this was your first rehearsal for a stage performance, Nate," I said to him, remembering he'd be leaving to become a rock star. "To think I almost forgot you'd have to leave soon." I turned my head. "You know they've finally refueled the U.F.V thing. You can go home now."

"And you?" Nate asked with worried eyes.

I looked down, locking my lips. "I don't think I should be going back."

"I understand," Nate replied, dying on the inside.

"At least you'll have your Mom back," I said with a small smile.

"Oh yeah," Nate said. _He_ actually forgot, too. He was happy he'd have his mother back with the family, but he couldn't stand the thought of not having Ash around anymore. "I guess we'll leave tomorrow morning then..."


	53. SPECIAL: My Story Pt4 lFINALl

_After a long year, Ash's adventure as a G.R.A.Y spy finally comes to an end. But she won't let it end so easily. Without any help from G.R.A.Y, she decides to sneak off once again on one last self-mission. But when Nate finds out, he's determined to get her back home alive before everyone has to go their separate ways. But, of course, this adventure has a twist like every other, the end of the world. Can Ash save it? Or is it really the end of everything?_

* * *

**CHAPTER 53: My Story Pt4**

I yawned, walking through Atlantis early the next morning. "Do we do this _every_ morning?"

"It is our duty to go to the temple and pray for the former kings," Anaysis said, dragging me. "It is a tradition for the royal bloodline. Though usually only the princes do this, I find it respectful for us to do it too."

I yawned. "Why only princes?"

"Those with the power who pray at the temple would sometimes receive visions. But that's very rare. I find it peaceful."

We entered the oh so familiar place and stood by the alter.

She grabbed my hand and closed her eyes. I closed my eyes too, copying Anaysis. Suddenly I felt this weird feeling. I saw a vision. In my vision, I saw, the city, back at home. The skies were red, and everything was destroyed, in chaos. There were fires and crying. I saw people running, only to be turned to stone when this person came by. This person looked a lot like an Atlantean. It was only a shilouete, so I couldn't see the person's face.

"Did you see it?" Anaysis asked me, my eyes opened again.

"Yeah, that was very peaceful for me," I said sarcastically, gritting it through my teeth. "Next time warn me if I'm premonitioning something Rated R!!"

"Strange, is the surface world supposed to be doomed and destructive daily?"

"Not exactly," I said, rubbing my eyes. "Who was that?"

"Our uncle, our father's brother, Gaia," Anaysis told me. "He's reigning his vengeance at the surface world."

"No way, it's only a vission. That can't be real."

"The world is in trouble," Anaysis said. "You must defeat Gaia."

"Who must what what who now?" I asked. "How can _I_ defeat him? I can beat him! The closest thing I've ever fought that was evil was Ms. Autumn!"

"Ashley only you can. The key has chosen you," Anaysis said. "Gaia is looking for the key. He is looking for the person who has the power, so he can destroy the world, and rebuild it as a whole Atlantean power. That is why father did not want for him to rule."

"Why must everything I know have some kind of abnormality?" I groaned, holding my head back.

"Do you know what to do?" she asked.

"Not in the slightest," I replied, putting my hand back to my side. "But I do have a plan."

I ran out of the temple and back to the city. After going inside one of the stone houses, I saw Nate asleep.

I looked around and found this weird fish on a plate on a side table and slapped Nate with it, making him scream.

"Ah!" he shouted, sitting up. "Did you just whack me with a fish?!"

"It doesn't matter what aquatic mammals I've whacked you with. Come on, we've gotta go save the world."

"What?" Nate asked, obviously confused. Though I didn't pay attention since I already left the room to go wake up Shane and Jason. "And fish aren't mammals!"

I walked out of the house and to the weird jet that the guys used. U.F.V I think?

"Ash wait!" Nate shouted, running after me. "What are you talking about _saving the world_?"

"I mean what I said. The world's in trouble with doom, danger, and a psychotic bad guy. And since we're the only people who can actually tolerate all three without freaking out we're the last hope."

"I'm freaking out!" Shane shouted, walking out of the house. He obviously didn't want to be woken up so early.

"You were saying?" Nate said to me.

"Ash what is this about?" Jason asked. This was seriously way to early for the guys to wake up.

"Once we get back up to the surface, it'll explain itself," I said, opening the door to the U.F.V. That's what it said at the side, whatever it stood for. "Now let's go. Time for our last mission. We'll leave your mom and Aiden here. They'll be safer down here."

The guys looked at each other and shrugged, climbing on too. I put Shane at the wheel, since he was the best driver for flying vehicles. We flew us through the jungle and into the water. After coming out the way we came in through, as in through the underwater cavern, we flew up the water and to the surface. We looked out the window, our eyes widening.

"Is it normal for the sky to be clown nose red?" Shane asked, driving the wheel.

I shook my head. "No."

"Shane look out!" Nate shouted pointing his arm. Out of the water came this rising stone as if it was trying to have us run into it. We all screamed and Shane made a hard turn, making us hold onto something. More stones rose out of the ocean as Shane dodged each and every one of them. Even though it was all like a high speed roller coaster.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," Nate said, shaking his head.

"What's going on?" Jason said, looking out the window as Joe kept turning left and right. "This is like, impossible."

"It's called the end of the world, ever heard of it?" I said, holding on for my life.

"We're coming into Wyckoff!" Shane announced, making us turn around, and I mean, around, as in upside down then right side up.

Nate tried to keep a straight head, and straight sight. "How'd we get across the world so fast?"

"Oh I don't know. Dodging certain death can make the time pass very fast," Shane shrugged. "We should do this more often," he said, making me and Jason glare at him.

**--**

Finally we arrived back in the city. And just like the the vision, it looked like the end. Everywhere I saw people turned to stone, along with these walking stone monsters that people were running from, at least, people who weren't statues yet.

"Oh my God," Jason said, looking down out the window. "How is this happening?"

"Evil uncle," I answered, just as surprised. It's even worse when you see it for yourself. You can't possibly imagine how horrid this was.

"Wait," Nate said, picking up his head. "Ember, and Mysti."

"I see them down there in the street," I said, pointing. Shane flew downwards and we jumped out.

"Ash?" Ember said, looking up. She, Mysti, and Tristan were cornered against the apartment, five of those stone monsters surrounding them.

"Guys!" I shouted, only to be held back by Nate and Shane.

"Ah geez!" Tristan shouted as one of those stone monsters destroyed his labtop that he was holding up.

"Fight! Punch! Do somtething!" Ember shouted at Tristan, trying to push him forward.

"Let me remind you that as a G.R.A.Y spy I'm a scientist, not, a, fighter!"

"Oh get out of the way," Mysti said in her same bored tone, pushing Tristan aside. She removed her bandages from her eyes, all of it. They fell to the ground and she opened her eyes, both different colored. She ran at the stone monsters and jumped, kicking one of them all the way across the street and into a building. All of us starred back at Mysti as she landed back on the ground. One leg stretched out and one hand flat on the ground, keeping her steady.

"Whoa," Ember and Trsitain said.

"Jase that's one crazy best friend you got there," Shane commented.

"Y-Yeah," Jason stuttered, still in shock at how strong Mysti still was.

"Well don't just stand here! Help her!" I shouted, pushing Shane off the U.F.V., him screaming. Mysti continued fighting all of the stone monsters on her own, Shane and Jason running helping her. Nate and I got Ember and Tristan back into the U.F.V, then calling Jason, Shane, and Mysti back on. Before those things could come back after us, Shane took off and we were flying away.

"Thank heavens you guys came when you did!" Ember sighed out, out of breath.

"We're just glad you guys are okay," Nate smiled.

"And Tristian, what are you doing here? I thought you're stationed back at Florida," I said.

"I was, but then your friends here Mysti and Ember called me over. They wanted for me to track you all down so we could go after you and get you all to come back home."

"You guys did what?" Shane repeated from the wheel.

"I couldn't help it! I was worried!" Ember said with a whining face to Shane.

"And where've you guys been anyway?" Mysti asked, re-bandaging her eyes since she wouldn't have to fight again.

"Atlantis," me, Jason, Shane, and Nate answered like it was nothing.

Mysti stayed still for a moment. ".... Glad I asked."

I rolled my eyes. "But either way we're back, we alive-"

"We're screwed," Nate added.

"Yeah that's the spirit," I said to him. "Be positive."

"Do you guys know what we're supposed to do?" Ember asked.

"First find the source of all this," Jason answered.

"I do know the source. My uncle," I said sternly. "I just, don't know where he is."

"Your uncle, that's good," Mysti said nodding. "He must be in the area then."

"Um... yeah, something like that."

"Great, where does he live?" Shane asked.

"...... Somewhere on the seven contents and five oceans," I said with a nervous grin.

Nate starred then nodded slowly. "Okay, okay, that just narrows it down to EVERYWHERE!"

"I found it," Tristan said on the U.F.V's computer.

I smirked at Nate. "Looks like everywhere is a very small place."

"That moving source of energy. That's the same source that started the earthquake," Tristan read.

"So I wasn't imagining things. It was a real earthquake," I stated. "He must have, un-statued or something."

"Un-statued?"Jason repeated.

"Yes, my uncle was supposed to be a statue at the bottom of the ocean," I said.

"Ah, thanks for pointing out that fact," Jason said with sarcasm.

Shane laughed. "You know Ash, I feel happy for the guy you'd have to marry. He can skip meeting the overprotective father, he can meet the world dominating uncle instead."

"Not helping!" Ember shouted and scolded.

"He's close by," Tristan said to me. "He's all the way down south."

"Good," I nodded.

"Of the continent," Tristan finished, making us all groan.

"I have to drive that long?" Shane groaned. "That's it, I'm stopping by the closest coffee place and ordering twenty gallons of caffeine."

--

It was late at night now. For some reason time was moving slower than usual. If it takes a matter of minutes to get across the world, then explain how it takes hours and hours on end to get across the continent.

Pretty much everyone was asleep, except for Shane, who was pretty much running all his energy on coffee at the moment.

With that Ember walked over to the front of the U.F.V, seeing Shane still flying us steady. He's never looked more focused in his life.

"Hi," Ember said, spooking Shane and almost making the entire ship shake.

"Oh, Ember hey," Shane said with bags under his eyes.

"You look exhausted," Ember said surprised. "Want me to take over?"

"No, no, I couldn't let you do that," Shane said, drinking another cup of coffee. "Do you even know how to fly this thing?"

"_You_ don't even know how to fly this thing," Ember pointed out. "All you use is the wheel and the boosters."

Shane blinked. "Five minutes."

With that Shane and Ember quickly switched, Shane plopping down onto the passenger seat.

"Hey, this is kinda fun," Ember said, actually flying the whole contraption.

"Try doing this for hours and we'll see how much fun it is," Shane yawned, making Ember chuckle. Even that still made a tired Shane smile.

"You know, you've really.... changed a lot this past year," Ember said softly. It was almost as if they've never kissed in the first place.

"Did I," Shane said, paying full attention to Ember. "In that case so did you." Ember looked at Shane. "Were you really that worried about us?"

"Wouldn't you?" Ember asked back.

"He spent two whole hours pestering about you to us-" Nate groaned from the back.

"Shut up!" my voice harshly whispered after the sound of a thump.

Ember smiled while Shane blushed, looking away.

"But yeah, I was worried," Ember continued. "The thought of all my best friends gone forever.... you being gone forever..." That re-caught Shane's attention. Ember took in a deep breath. "Just don't ever scare me like that again."

Shane shrugged. "A little too late for that request. We're the last people on earth. Doesn't that scare you?"

"As long as you're with me, I think I can handle it," Ember remarked to her best friend, making Shane smile.

"Awwww," Shane said, lightly punching Ember like a little kid on Christmas. Old Shane's back.

"Yeah don't push your luck," Ember said with a face and forced smile, making Shane laugh and back up into his chair.

"I wanna hear about this kiss of yours!" I shouted, only for two thumps to be heard from the back and 'shhhh's coming from Nate.

"Oh yeah," Shane blushed with a slight chuckle. Ember seemed to be blushing a bit, too. "Sorry about that before. I guess I, really thought that I'd never come back home and I... wanted to do something I've always..... wanted to show you after all these years that I.... "

Ember turned her head to Shane, seeing him trying to find the right words. "That you like me."

"I.... yeah," Shane admitted, looking down. Nate and I were in the back, covering each other's mouths tightly and watching intently.

Ember smiled and turned Shane's head around, tilting her head and giving him a short kiss on his lips. When the broke apart, Shane starred surprisingly into her eyes. Suddenly he grabbed her face with both her hands and they started Frenching, Ember getting real into it.

"Whoa!" Nate and I both shouted, rushing to our feet and running to the front. We both grabbed onto the wheel and brought it back upwards, since the U.F.V was going down. Ember had let go of the wheel.

"Geez neither of you are real good pilots are ya," I said, breathing in and out. I turned around, seeing them making out over their chairs. ".... Oh get a room."

Nate back up and let me take the wheel. He went in front of Shane and Ember and pulled them apart momentarily. "How about Ash and I take over while you two get some rest or, make out in the back, where it's less distracting.... and hazardous."

With that Shane and Ember walked back while Nate sat in the passenger seat.

"Gosh this is such a weird morning," I said, noticing it was 6:00 dawn.

"Yeah," Nate agreed, looking back. "They finally get together but it's the Apocalypse."

"That's a good way to sum up the story," I said. "Can you believe people like that? Two people who are obviously perfect for each other but have always denied it. Then it seems like the impossible when they finally get together." I scoffed. "Those two people must be really stupid to be ignoring their feelings for so long."

"Oh yeah, very stupid," Nate agreed with a nervous look on his face, and in his head. "Uh, Ash, I think I can tell you the... thing I've wanted to tell you now."

"Right, I almost forgot about that," I said. "What is it?"

Nate inhaled and exhaled, shutting his eyes. "Ash I think I love-"

"KISSING MONSTER!!" Jason' voice shouted from the back, making Nate and I turned our head around.

I arched my eyebrows and put it on autopilot, the both of us going to the back and turning the lights on. We looked and saw Jason and Tristan beating Shane with a pillow. But when the lights turned on, they stopped, starring at Shane. Ember was sitting by the wall, wiping her mouth. She, too, was surprised with the sudden light. Mysti seemed to be just, watching.

"When I said make out in the back I didn't really mean it!" Nate said to Shane.

"What's going on now?" I asked scolding.

"I saw Ember kissing a shadow," Jason said. "I thought she was being strangled."

Then Nate and I turned to Tristan. "And you?" I asked with a face.

"I, hehe, thought the same thing," Tristan chuckled with a nervous grin, much like I would sometimes.

Jason ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, everybody back to what they were doing." He then turned his head towards the new couple. "And that doesn't mean start kissing. Shane, wheel. Everybody else, sleep."

No one went against Jason, and we all went back to our original positions, me by the large window. Instead, Nate sat beside me, placing his jacket over our laps. I smiled and nestles my head against his chest, my hand on his leg.

"Thanks for being my protector," I said faintly, remembering the day of my dad's death. Apparently, Nate remembered too, and he placed a comforting arm around me. I was getting sleepier by the minute in his hold. He began singing a lullaby to me, the same song from all those years ago.

_"Rest your head back next to me  
Everything'll be fine and you'll see  
I'll protect you, no matter what  
I have all these years  
I'll stand up to anything you meet  
Nothing can separate you and me  
That's what I promise you  
I give you my all..._

_Princes, knights, kings and m_en  
_If you want I can be any of them  
I'll protect yo until forever, you know it's true  
Prettiest princess in the world  
Your oyster's gone and now the pearl  
Has nothing to hide within, all there's left to do  
I'll protect you..."_

At the end of Nate's singing, I was already fast asleep with a safe smile on my face. Nate smiled and rested hsi head in my hair, inhaling my scent, one hand around me and his other hand on mine on his lap. "Goodnight, Ash."

--

As quickly as that night went, quick came the morning after it.

"Yo love birds wake up!" shouted a male voice until a pillow was thrown at us. Nate and I woke up to everyone looking out the giant window.

"Where is he?" Mysti asked, looking out.

"You think he realized we're here yet?" Mysti asked.

"Ah!" we all shouted as a huge boulder was thrown at us, Shane dodging it.

"I think we're realized," Tristan said.

"What's going on?" I asked tired, adjusting my cat ear hat.

"He's after my key," I said, adjusting my cat ear hat. "He won't stop until he has it.... or at least until I'm dead."

"Well then, we'll just have to lure him out of here and somewhere we can fight him," Nate said. "Shane fly towards the ground. Ash and I are getting out."

"We are?" I repeated.

"Yes, and I'm the one coming up with the crazy plan this time," Nate told. "It's already the end of the world. What do I have to loose?"

--

I turned around, looking at what we were running from, or driving from. Nate and I were were in a red convertible with the top off, Nate driving. The others were flying above us. My hat flew away too along the ride.

"Well, I've gotta give you credit, we didn't crash yet," I commented.

We arrived in a desert like place, empty of anymore people and buildings. Nate stopped and and hopped out of the car, all of those stone hulks coming at us.

"Ready to fight?" I asked.

"I was born ready."

We ran and them and began fighting as a team. This is like your stereotypical secret agent fight, fending for your lives. The U.F.V landed and everyone else who could fight came out as well. Ember and Tristan stayed by the U.F.V, watching from the sidelines.

As we fought, there was unknowingly a shadow on the ground, passing by us. It climbed up by the U.F.V and we heard a scream. I looked and saw Ember turned to stone. "No."

"Ember?" Shane said, looking up. "EMBER!"

"Them too," Nate said, jumping up.

"It's the shadow!" Tristan shouted as his feet started to turn to stone and up. "That's the source! Ash the shadow!-"

He was turned to stone too. It was the shadow, my uncle. That was how he escaped.

This was all familiar to me. These were the voices from my dream so many nights previous. My dream was becoming reality.

"Ember," Shane said as a single tear fell. Eventually his face hardened and he turned around, fighting three stone monsters. Shane sure can be scary when he's angry.

"Shane watch out!" I shouted with an outstretched arm as the shadow sneaked up on the ground, coming in under Shane. He screamed, being turned to stone as well. "No..."

"It's no use!" Jason shouted. "No matter how many times we bring these guys down they keep coming back!"

"Jason look out!" Mysti shouted, pushing Jason out of the way and letting the shadow get under her. Mysti's feet started turning to stone, Jason's eyes widening.

"Mysti!" he shouted.

"Hey, I've finally returned the favor," Mysti said in her normal bored voice with a smile, remembering how Jason pushed her out of the basement and sacrificing himself. "Good luck Jason. I love you."

"Mysti no!" Jason shouted, grabbing her hand, but it turned to stone, as well as the rest of her. He fell to his knees, holding his head down.

"No," I said, tears falling from my eyes. This entire time I had stopped fighting, watching my friends turn to stone. I fell to my knees, my hands at my eyes. "It's no use."

"Ash!" Nate shouted, running at me and quickly bending down, gripping my shoulders. "Ash you can't give up now. Especially with everything at stake."

"Nate how can you still think we can win after all this?" I cried. "It's hopeless, it's hopeless, it's hopeless."

"Ash!" he shouted, shaking my shoulders. "Ash think about your mom, your dad, all of us, everyone in the world, are you seriously going to throw it all away?"

"But Nate I can't deal with this. I'm just a girl," I said through my tears and sobs.

"No you're not, Ash," Nate said, softly now. "Listen Ash, you are the most amazing girl I've ever met," he said, licking his dry lips. "You can do this. You can reverse all of this."

"But how?"

"I don't know, but you'll find a way. We'll find a way. I'll be with you every step of the way until I'm dead. No, I'll be with you even after then." Nate smiled. "Remember, we're G.R.A.Y spies.... saving the world should be a cinch."

I smiled and hiccuped, wiping my eyes as Nate helped me stand up.

"Well you won't if you guys are turned to stone," Jason said, rushing us to the U.F.V. "Nate get Ash out of here. I'll stall."

"Jason," I said, surprised that Jason would actually let us go alone. If he stays he'd bound to turn to stone too.

"You sure man?" Nate asked as the door closed.

"Go!" Jason shouted, fighting the stone monsters.

Nate jumped into the driver's seat and went. We flew up, screaming. I admit, Shane's a way better driver.

"Now what?" Nate asked. "Where can we go?"

I looked at my reflection in the red windows. I then looked at the key around my neck. "The only place I _can_ go." I turned my head forward. "Head back to Atlantis. Time for a miracle."

_When you asked, I was scared  
Didn't know where I was going  
You assured, took my hand  
That everything would be fine  
If I'm strong, I'll belong  
If I'm not I'll just fall under  
But I have to, be strong to  
Fight for what I have_

_I'll go travel the world  
I'll go chase down my fears  
The courage you gave me  
It's working, it's real  
I'll hide from the dark  
And I'll crawl through the light  
This mission, I'll finish, it  
I'll go_

--

After flying through everything, and I mean everything, we crashed back into Atlantis. And unfortunately, this place too was also destroyed, just like the surface. Nate and I got off the U.F.V, looking around everywhere.

"Oh my gosh," Nate said.

"Nate, look," I said. In a distance I saw Diane and Aiden turned to stone, along with the many other Atlanteans.

"No way," Nate said in disbelief.

"Come on, we've got to go to the temple."

"The what?"

"Just hurry!" I said, running. We both ran across the ruins of Atlantis and through the jungle. It was horror, seeing more and more people turned to stone. Eventually we slowed our run, arriving at the said temple.

"So, this is the place you're talking about," Nate stated.

I nodded. "Anaysis told me that the kings would come here, for miracles." I looked down. "Usually at life-costing prices."

Nate turned to me. "You mean... you're..."

I nodded again, looking at him. "I want to reverse all of this. It's the only way. You stay here."

"Wait," Nate said, grabbing my wrist. I turned my head, looking at him. "Let me go with you."

"No, if you come with me you might-"

"Die. Am I correct?" Nate said, walking one step closer. "I told you, I'll be with you every step of the way. When I said I put my best friend first before everything else, I meant it."

I smiled and turned around, walking. As I made each step, the inscibings in the walls, the lines, glowed blue. Just like at the Atrum ruins. I made it to the alter beside Nate.

I sighed out and placed my hands onto the alter. I didn't know exactly how to do this, but, I just did what I felt right. And knowing Nate was here beside me, it _was_ going to be alright.

"Please.... Help me reverse all of this.... Help me reverse everything that has just happened to the world.... Help me prevent everything bad that I have caused to bring this distruction...." I opened my eyes. "It's because I found this key, because I found Atlantis, that I have reawakened the power that my father has sealed away.... Help me reverse this, so that I can redo this.... I know, that I am no prince or king, and I know that I don't know much about Atlantis.... But I will do anything, to prevent this.... I will do anything to bring my friends back."

Nate looked me at the entire time. As I ended my prayer, the key started glowing, along with the round dome on the alter. A strange light emitted from it, making all of the inscribings in the temple glow brighter. Not just that, but all of the inscribings in Atlantis glowed.

"What's happening?" Nate asked.

"Something that's going to help," I said emotionless. "Even if it means me loosing everything that I hold dear."

"Nate gave me a weak smile. "I know that I'm going to sound really cheesy, but seeing that it's the end of the world I think I'm gonna say it," he said with a small laugh. "Even if you do loose everything... I won't ever forget you."

I smiled, all of the light swallowing everything and making me close my eyes.

I felt everything go away, everything I was touching psychically, was disappearing.

_'Am I dying?.... Is this what it feels like....? To die....?'_

As I floated endlessly in this mass space, I felt something like deja vu. This was the exact place I was when I was dreaming. Except I couldn't open my eyes. I psychically couldn't open my eyes.

_'Ash....'_ said the male voice that said I love you in t he previous dreams.

_'That voice.... is so familiar to me...'_ I thought with a face.

_'Ash.... I know this is probably a really bad time to admit this...'_ continued the voice. _'But even up to now.... I love you.... I always have.... I always will.... even if you don't make it out of here..... if we don't make it out of here...'_

All of a sudden the memory came to me of who's voice it was. "NATE!!!" I shouted, finally opening my eyes. Suddenly it became bright all over again. And I felt that 'dying' sensation all over again as well.

Now all I could hear was my breathing, steady and slow. I opened my eyes slowly, then instantly. In front of me, was my street. All of the houses, the lawns, the cars, everything. I looked up. The sky was blue with puffy cotton-like clouds, and I could hear the birds chirping. "What the...."

I looked down, and in my hands was a couple of books. They looked familiar. I opened the top one. It was a social studies text book with a blue book sock. "_Nate Gray... 2004...." _

So, this was the miracle..... I went back in time.... all the way back to when I was 12.... "I remember this day." This was the week that 'Nate was out sick', the week where I was suspicious of him. "This was the day I found out about G.R.A.Y..... So, the only way to prevent what happened, the end of the world.... was to never have found out about G.R.A.Y at all?.... "

At that I felt a pang in my chest. If I had to save the world in the future, prevent what happened..... I had to give up the life I've always wanted.... the life I always had. It's a big sacrifice for the safety of the world, but G.R.A.Y was everything to me. The missions, the adventures.... the teammates.

I sighed and shook my head, walking down the street. I had only a matter of minutes to get rid of these feelinsg, because I was on my way to the fire house. The familiar feeling of a cat ear hat was back on my head. The entire walk I was deep in thought.

"Hello," Shane said, opening the door. "Oh, hey Ash," Shane said nervously. This was when he had short hair. He's 14 now I think, Jason 15. "A-Are you here to see Nate?"

"Yes," I said, reciting the same words I said this very day. "Can I see him? I.... just have to drop of his homework," I said kinda sad.

Shane gave me a look, dropping his guard. "Ash, you okay? You seem kinda down."

"Um, yeah. Sorry. I, guess I just miss Nate is all," I said quietly.

Shane sighed, guilty. "Alright, but make it quick, he's reaaaly sick."

I chuckled and gave him my best smile. "Thanks Shane." As I walked into the oh-so familiar looking fire house. I just remembered. Ember wasn't here. She and Shane split up when they were 12, two years ago from here. "Shane?"

"Yeah?" he asked, grabbing a water bottle from the coffee table. Next to it was Mr. G's remote. The things that remote could do.

".... You should call Ember," I said, walking into the elevator.

Shane froze and turned around towards me. But the elevator door closed, me leaving him stumped. I pressed the button to Nate's room, heading up. I listened to my breathing again. I felt like fainting right now was my best option for running away.

The elevator door opened and I saw Nate standing in the middle of his room. He turned his head towards me in surprise. Weird, I remembered him sitting in his chair on the computer.

"Uh, hi Nate," I said.

"Hi....?" Nate said with a confused face. It was nostalgic, hearing Nate in his young voice again. We were silent as I stepped out of the elevator, it closing behind me. We avoided eye contact.

"I, brought you your homework," I said, holding the books out to him.

"Thanks," he said, taking the books and looking down at them, as if trying to identify them. Nate then lifted his head, trying to see my eyes. "You know," he started, "when I said that I wouldn't ever forget you... I meant it."

I shot my head up towards him, surprised. "So, you know."

Nate smiled. "I'm just glad _you_ know. For a minute I thought I was dreaming or something."

"Well, this is no dream," I said, sitting on Nate's bed. It was a relief I wasn't the only one from the future. "We're really 12 again."

"Yeah," Nate said, his hands in his pockets. His hair wasn't even curly yet, and his taste in clothing wasn't the same as his 15-year old self either. "... I have to go through puberty all over again."

I laughed and punched his arm. "Nate."

"What, just trying to lighten up the mood," he said, holding his hands up.

"Nate, don't you remember what day this is?" I asked smiling.

Nate blinked and looked around. "Surprisingly I don't. Is it Wednesday or Thursday?"

"No not like that," I said. "It's, the day I found out about you being.... you know, a spy."

"Oh," Nate said. "Actually from what I remember, Shane, Jason, and Aiden are supposed to be upstairs eavesdropping on us."

"Oh yeah," I laughed.

"Let's go into the bathroom. If anything we can get some privacy in there," Nate said as we both laughed, getting off the bed. We walked into the bathroom and shut the door. It was small, so we were pretty close.

"Um," I started. "What should we do? Should I, pretend I never found out about G.R.A.Y?"

Nate shook his head. "No. I don't want that." I looked at him confusingly. "If anything Ash, you being my teammate is, probably the best thing ever next to you being my best friend. And, even for the end of the world, I wouldn't it change it for anything."

"You mean it?" I asked him.

Nate nodded. "Yeah. And, not like it'll change anything really... Just don't wander off when we go to that forest. As long as you keep away from that temple ruin stuff I think the world's safe."

I laughed. "Okay."

Nate smiled. "You want to become a spy _now_?"

My eyebrows raised. "You mean, now? As in, this year, this time?"

"Yeah. If you can do that much when becoming a spy at 15, maybe becoming a spy now can, do a whole lot more.... And we can spend a lot more time together." Nate laughed. "And since we're 12 year olds with 15 year old minds, we don't have to worry about school. Not to mention that if we're clever enough, I think we can remember all of the answers on Ms. Autumn's pop quizzes."

I smiled, laughing. "Alright then. I guess I'm a spy."

"Yes, I just have to beg my dad again," Nate said, making us laugh.

I hugged him. "You know, this _is_ a miracle. Maybe, we can even try and set Jason and Shane up with Ember and Mysti a little earlier than expected."

"Oh yeah," Nate said with a grin. "With all this I completely forgot about them."

"You know, for the two of us being cramped into a one-person bathroom, we're being awfully loud."

"In case you've forgotten, this bathroom is soundproof until Shanee messes with the plumbing next March," Nate pointed out.

I laughed again. "Oh yeah." It was odd, I'm smiling a whole lot now. Maybe because the weight of the world is off my shoulders, literally. And now we'll know everything that comes our way, at least until we turn 15 or 16. "Maybe we should, get out of here now, tell everyone else that, I know your secret," I said blushing. Another thing stuck in my mind was that voice thing while I was.... dying. It was Nate's voice. He was in the temple when he said that, wasn't he.

"Right my, secret," Nate repeated as I reached for the knob. "Ash wait."

"Yeah?" I asked, jumping a little bit.

Nate blushed again. "Um, I don't know how to really say this so..." Nate tried to find the words, me looking at him. Suddenly he leaned forward fast and kissed me, my eyes wide. And at the same time the door busted open with Jason and Shane standing there. A second later I slapped the side of Nate's head, everyone surprised at what each of us saw.

"Whoa, we just caught kid action," Shane commented.

"Ow," Nate groaned, hitting the side of his head.

"Sorry, sorry!" I apologized, getting all panicky

--

"Here's the ice," Jason said, giving it to me.

"Thanks," I said, looking back into the living room and seeing Nate on the couch. I sighed and walked into it, Shane and Jason watching from the kitchen. "Hey, got you the ice."

"Thank you," he said as I placed it on his head. "Being 12 I forgot my head's not as hard as it is when I'm 15."

"Yes, as a 15-year old you're a hard-headed stubborn boy," I stated, making us chuckle.

"I'm sorry about what happened in the bathroom," Nate apologized.

I smiled, still holding the ice. "It's okay.... I mean, I kissed you a lot."

"Oh the cheek though," Nate said. "I don't know about you but what I did was kinda out of line. It was very rude of me, very ungentlemanly-like of me, very _stupid_ of me-"

"Dude shut up. You're panicking again," I chuckled. "And, it's good. I... kinda liked it."

Nate looked at me surprised. "You did?"

"You did?" Shane and Jason's voice echoes from the kitchen.

I nodded shyly, looking away and putting the ice down. I felt myself look back at him again though. And somehow, we pulled our lips into a small kiss. It was a few seconds until we split up, shocked again. His older brothers' jaws dropped from the kitchen counter.

"Wow," Nate said. "My first real intended kiss with you."

I laughed. "What?"

"I'm sorry but I've liked you for a while now, Ash. I don't know if it's been obvious or not but I know I'm rambling like an idiot and I should shut up right now."

I smiled at him. "Well, I, like you too."

"You do?" he asked again.

"You do?" Shane and Jason asked from the kitchen.

"You do?" little Aiden's voice peeped from the fire hole above.

"Yes yes I do," I answered to everyone listening, laying back.

"Sorry but, it's just so hard to believe that you'd like me," Nate said, shaking his head.

"Why so surprised?" I asked in a whisper. "That cocky 15-year old Nate was very confident in girls liking him."

"But you're my best girl friend. It's different," Nate said. "It's like.... impossible."

I sighed. "Nate, we just did, all of those things, flew across the world how many times, found Atlantis, and traveled back in time to here. And you think me liking you, seems impossible."

"Kinda," Nate replied. "Hey don't look at me like that. I'm 12, I have low self esteem about girls right now."

I laughed and punched his arm, us hugging again. "I think that miracle's good points are finally kicking in."

Well, Nate asked, and now I'm a girl spy at age 12. We've also gotten a hold of Mysti and Ember. Right now we were all in the living room the following week. Mysti was here with Jason, and Shane on the phone talking to Ember for the first time in a long time. He was pretty much a nervous wreck right now. That only _proved_ he liked her.

I guess the good thing about coming all the way back here was, correcting the wrongs that has happened to all of us. Now I know why my dad died, and we know where the Grays' mom is. And knowing she was safe and sound, was good enough for Nate. Oh yeah, did I mention Nate and I are going out now? I know what you're thinking. About time right?

--

The drums and guitars were playing in the park, a huge crowd there. Nate on the drums, Shane and Jason on the guitar, Aiden Ember and Mysti in the crowd with the rest of the students. It was a fund raiser for our high school. 15 all over again, back to the beginning.

_"All the adventures I remember  
Always complainin' since September  
I couldn't ask, for more...  
Live and learn I found myself  
Spweaking out inside what I felt  
Now my heart is no longer torn_

_When I have everything I need  
__I don't think of anything I see  
__Don't have to overthink  
The possibilities  
Follow me and find me when I hide  
Since you grew up always by my side  
You know me better  
Than anyone else  
Just me and myself  
How can I ask for more_

_Sometimes I want to be alone and  
When you come I feel the opposite and  
Now I understand why_

_When I have everything I need  
__I don't think of anything I see  
__Don't have to overthink  
The possibilities  
Follow me and find me when I hide  
Since you grew up always by my side  
You know me better  
Than anyone else  
Just me and myself  
How can I ask for more"_

The music ended and I smiled, waving. I was definitly living the perfect life.

--**3 YEARS LATER--**

Now we were 18 year olds, Nate and I have graduated college early. We were at the fire house, having just had Nate's and my graduation party.

"Congrats you two," Ember said, hugging us. She and Shane were happily dating, and Mysti and Jason were a little on the slow side, but it's still obvious they like each other. They're just too mature to actually realize it.

"And to think, you guys have been dating for 6 years," Aiden added, now 11 years old.

"Thanks," I said, smiling. I was still wearing my cat ear hat after all this time.

"Ash," Nate said. "I know, that we're only 18, and I know, that I'm an idiot," I laughed as he paused. "But, I know that even though we say we love each other, I still consider us best friends."

"Well duh I know that. But Nate where are you going with this?"

Nate reached into his pocket then to his other pocket. "Oh shoot where'd I put it."

Shane behind the couch made signs with his arms. Then he picked up a plastic fork, swinging it left and right.

"I ate it?" Nate asked panicking.

"Oh for Pete's sake someone help him?" Shane groaned, shouting to the sky.

"Oh yeah," Aiden said, pressing a button on the remote. Suddenly Nate's and my graduation cake exploded into our faces, mine's and Nate's faces. Everyone's mouths hung open.

"Tell me that didn't just happen," Mysti said as if amused.

I wiped some cake from my face. "Is this what you mislocated from your pocket? Exploding pastry?"

Nate removed some cake from his face too. "Not exactly the cake," he ansered, shaking his hand.

"Oh hey, look, a blue box inside the cake," Jason said fakely surprised. "Ash if you don't get what's going on now I'm going to scream."

After wiping all of the cake onto a towel Ember got me, I reached for the little box inside the middle of the cake. I opened it, revealing a diamond ring. ".... No way."

"Um, yes way," Shane said, imitating a girly girl gasp.

Nate smiled. "Not exactly my picture of proposing but, will you marry me?"

I laughed and hugged Nate. We weren't really the type to make out. Just, hug and blush. "Yes!"

"I knew it was a good idea to put the ring box in the cake!" Aiden cheered, making everyone clap and cheer for us.

Nate and I broke apart and shared a long kiss, Nate slipping the ring onto my finger afterwards. Well, it's been a long journey, and this adventure has finally come to an end. Now a new adventure can begin. And that, is my story.

The End

* * *

Well, here it is, the end. I will be starting two new stories after this. And here are the previews. Tell me what you think about the ideas since it's been a while since I've started a new story.

G.R.A.Y Revelation (Undercover After Story)  
_Yai Gray lives on the legacy of her family's legacy as a teen spy organization. With best friends Myro and Seth, she can tend to live a pretty unpredictable life as a spy and teenager. But with an over protective father, a sisterly cool mom, and crazy individual uncles, she's bound to have everything go her way, eventually._

_GRAY Underwater (Nate Gray Story)  
In an alternation of G.R.A.Y Undercover, Ash livs a whole different life. Same people, same relationships, different story. Except, her friends are mermen. She sure didn't see that coming when returning home. Now back home in Wyckoff from her long absence, she's got to spend her 'summer vacation tour' protecting Nate's and his brothers' aquatic secret, along with protecting herself from the paparazzi._


	54. Extra Chapter: Love Birthdays Pt1

_Alright, I know that this series is already over and done with, but since I got bored I decided to actually finish this chapter and post this up.  
You see, this was an unfinished chapter of GRAY Undercover I never got to complete, for Valentine's Day. But then I got caught up in my guy drama and got a long writer's block from it. Long story short, I confessed to my best guy friend after nine long years I liked him. And up to today that's, still not resolved yet, sorta._

_You'd think experienced like that would inspire you.  
Hehe not me._

_But none of you guys wanna listen to THAT story when there's this story below about Ash's and Nate's Valentine's Day._

_(AND SPECIAL NOTE: THIS IS BEFORE THE FINAL FOUR CHAPTERS, SO NATE AND ASH DIDN'T GET TOGETHER YET)_

_--_

_Ash is celebrating her first Valentine's Day as a part of G.R.A.Y, but the unusual thing is, is that it's also her birthday, which causes a lot of problems when her mother finds a new boyfriend. Long story short, Ash hates him. So Ash enlists in the help of Nate and his brothers to help her. In a side story, Ash is unwillingly put into a school contest for Valentine's Most Admired against Sharmane.  
_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter xxx : Love Birthdays Pt1**_  
_

"Ash!" Nate called after we both got out of our classes.

"Nate, I missed you this morning," I said, looking at his now short hair. "Whoa, nice hair cut. Lost the 'fro."

He shrugged. "Well I needed a change."

It's a normal morning at school. Got my bag, got my hat, got my best friend, yup I'm all set.

"ASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Then again maybe not.

Nate and I turned around in the hallway and saw Ember rush up and crash into me, making a bunch of papers fly around and she and I collided with the floor tiles.

"Comidic crashes already. It's not even lunch yet," Nate commented, looking down at the both of us.

"Ash Ash Ash Ash Ash!" Ember repeated, jumping up with this terrified look on her face.

"What what what what what?" I asked in the same matter, except with some sarcasm in between.

"You won't BELIEVE what I just found out!" she panicked and cried. "It's horrible news!"

"What? Mrs. Autumn found out how to live forever?" I asked, not really interested. "The cafeteria now serves sugar free ice cream? What is it already?"

"You and Sharmane are competitors for the Valentine's Day Most Admired."

My eye twitched and we both screamed at the top of our lungs like it was the end of the world.

Nate shut his eyes and stuck his finger in his ear while others passing by starred. "Not to be the clueless one, since that's usually Shane, but what's the Valentine's Day Most Admired?"

"Dude even I know what that is!!" I scolded, surprised Nate didn't know.

"It happens on Valentine's Day each year here," Ember explained in a panicked expression. "On Valentine's Day, student council sells roses for two dollars and delivers them to the two competitors' lockers. The following school day whoever has the most roses has the most admirers, and that girl wins."

"That's stupid," he remarked.

"I know which is why we're panicking," I said. "I'm up against Sharmane! As in just me, and Sharmane. No other girls. That's bad!"

"So what if you loose?"

Ember and I both punched his shoulders, and you can already guess how painful that'd be.

"Nate, do you even know what happens to the girl that looses?" Ember threatened. "They're ridiculed for the rest of their high school life."

"And normally I wouldn't care about that," I noted in. "But I just don't want Sharmane to ridicule me and rub it in my face _every_ day. I could care less about the rest of the student population's opinion."

"Good point," Nate said, rubbing his shoulders.

"Which is why you, Shane, and Jason are sending Ash a rose," Ember said with a pointing finger.

"What why?" Nate asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Because if you don't, you'll end up like Shane."

"What happened to Shane," I asked curiously.

--

"LET ME OUT!" Shane shouted from inside the janitors closet in the school's basement. "IT'S SCARY DOWN HERE, EMBER!!!"

--

"One rose, got'cha," Nate nodded as Ember backed off.

"How'd you find out anyway?" I asked her.

"You know I'm part of the school's paper. It's my job to know these things, and to keep this info away from everybody else for my own best girl friend's rep," she said, placing an arm around my shoulders. "So I took all the advertisement fliers. No one will ever know about the competitors until it's too late."

"You mean the fliers you dropped and that everybody's reading," Nate said bluntly. Everybody in the hall _was_ reading the papers that were scattered during the crash.

"So, not a good best girl friend," I glared while Ember gave me her nervous grin.

--

"Come on, you aren't really into that kinda stuff are you?" Jason asked.

"Well I am when I'm forced into it," I said. After school Nate and I went to Jason for advice on the walk home. "How'd Sharmane and I get pitted against each other in the first place?"

"The nine guys who are a part of student council choose two girls to pit against each other. Usually the top two girls who are liked in the school."

I frowned. "And of course Sharmane's chosen."

"Actually she was always chosen ever since her freshman year," Jasonn pointed out, making me and Nate glare.

"Well that's nice to know! I- Wait, most liked girls, me.... what?"

"Why so surprised?" Nate asked.

"I don't find myself as one of the most liked girls if you haven't noticed," I said calmly. "I just, blend in."

Nate and Jason looked at me then started laughing.

"What?" I asked offended they were laughing.

"You? Blend in?" Jason asked through the hysteria.

"Ash you're Ms. Autumn's number one on her F- and most hated list. You made a new school record for food fights."

"I think they actually made a plaque for you on that," Jason laughed.

"Man this year's student council is crazy," I said shaking my head. "How they chose me I'll never know."

"Jase aren't you part of the student council?" Nate remembered.

"Yeah," Jason grinned, making me raise my head slowly and stare at him, like I wanted to kill him or something. "Best you guys go to Ash's house for today. Student Council's going to the fire house to set up things for Valentine's Day."

"Good suggestion," I gritted through my teeth to Jason, taking Nate's wrist and running ahead. Jason smiled and waved.

--

"Here's your house," Nate said as we walked up the driveway.

"Thanks," I said, slinging my bag up my shoulder again."Bring a wig from your G.R.A.Y Disguises trunk for me tomorrow at school. It's Valentine's Eve and everybody's gonna be teasing me."

"Now you're exagerating," Nate said."Besides, after all this drama, you sorta forgot what else is gonna happen on Valentine's Day."

"... What what-else?"

"...You.... date of birth.... number after your age right now?"

I starred at Nate for a second before my eyes widened. "Oh my gosh my birthday!"

"Oh no way," he said with a fake gasp, making me roll my eyes. He pulled out a small box from the side of his school bag. It was wrapped with orange paper with small red hearts and a ribbon at the top.

I smiled, silently thanking him for my birthday present.

"Open it."

I lifted the box and found a single earring for my hat. "Aw, this is cute. Thanks, Nate."

"No prob," he said with a slight blush and smile. "And you'll be fine at school. Maybe your Mom can say somethingo help."

"Yeah.... Yeah! Maybe my Mom can help. Someone who can understand my problems. Someone who has more experience."

We opened my front door and found two people on my couch. My mom, and this other man, making out. My mouth dropped open and Nate just blinked.

"More experience, right," he said, but I ignored him.

"Hm?" Mom asked, braking off the kiss. Oh, Ash, Nick, welcome back."

"Oh, your daughter's a teen," the man said, looking at me, kind of annoyed.

Mom smiled, having not seen that. "Guys, this is my new boyfriend, Dave."

"Nice to meet you," I said half-heartedly.

Nate decided to break that awkward silence. "H-Hey Ms. D, want me and my brothers to help set up for Ash's birthday party on Friday?"

"Birthday party. Oh I'm so sorry," she said apologetically. "Dave and I have a date all day on Valentine's Day."

"Oh," Nate said, telling I was hurt. How could Mom set up a date with some stranger on her daughter's birthday? Then again, it was Valentine's Day, too. And with my dad gone, I never really had to share my mom with anybody on my birthday... until today anyway.

"H-How about we celebrate tomorrow, then?" I asked hopefully from under my cat ear hat, rubbing my fingers together at my side.

"Sorry sweetie, we're going out on another date tomorrow, too," Dave said with fake sincerity.

"How about you spend the day with Nate? I'm sure you two can find somethin' to do," Mom said.

"Sure, yeah," I said, backing up with Nate and closing the door, letting the two adults get back to what they were doing.

"Ash... I'm so sorry," Nate said, seeing me stare down at the door knob, my hand still holding it.

"Nah, I'm fine," I said, shaking my head and letting go. Each year my Mom and I celebrate my birthday together, occasionally with the guys. I guess not this year though. "I just hate that guy. Did you see the way he looked at me? It's like he wanted my Mom all to himself, that box head."

Nate laughed at the name I called Dave. "Well no use being down on it. You can spend your birthday at the fire house this year if you want. Maybe I can ask Dad if we can get another mission... Maybe more specifically one in Hawaii or wherever you want, have some fun."

I made a small laugh and we walked down the three stairs.

"So, anything you wanna do now?" he asked.

I stopped walking and paused, smirking. "Actually, I do. Come on. I've got a plan."

Nate watched as I started walking. "This does not surprise me."

--

"LET ME OUT!"

"Fine fine just shut up first, geez," I said, picking the janitor's lock with a pin. "You know your voice echoes a lot since we're in this basement."

"Like anyone else is down here," Shane mumbled from the other side.

I unlocked the knob and Nate opened the door, Shane falling out. "Freedom!"

Nate and I helped him up. "Say, wanna help with us with a Valentine Date," I asked with a grin.

"You know just how to cheer a guy up don't you," Shane grinned, dusting himself off. "So you finally told her, Nate-"

"I didn't do anything," Nate stated before Shane could say any more. "There's this guy with Ash's mom. Ash wants him gone."

"Oh...." Shane said, looking at us both. "Aw man," he said in a somewhat whining voice, hoping it was _us_ who was on the Valentine date. "But sure, what'cha need?"

--

"Here's the plan," Shane said, taking out a bunch of papers from a metal drawer. It looked organized, all in folders and letters, all alphabetized.... correctly.

He showed all of the papers on the coffee table like a deck of playing cards.

"How... elaborate," I said, trying to find the right word.

"How'd you get all this stuff?" Nate asked, surprised he didn't find these, let alone notice them.

"Being the genius that I am," yeah right, "I devised these plans long when I was 13, working my way up to what we call, age 18. You asked for how to sabotage dates, I went to Cabinet 5, Folder S, Document E, and kapow here's your plan for every single thing you will or may not necessarily need."

"Impressive," I smiled, looking through all these papers like they were one hundred dollar bills.

"Document E- Is the E for Ember?" Nate said out of the blue, making me look up at Shane to see him wearing a still and emotionless face.

"If you decide to criticize my plans then maybe I'm not the right guy," he said, snatching the papers out of my hands, a smug look worn.

I snatched them back and whacked Nate upside the head. "Noooo no criticism present!" I grinned. "_Shut up, Nate._"

Shane smiled. "Well then, let's start with the simple questions. Do you know where your mom's _montage_ of a date will be held tomorrow?"

"Three places," I said, Shane going through the places.

--

"_Number 1, a restaurant reservation for brunch at the Le Esquisser._"

At one table sat two adults, my mother and her _date_, Dave. They were chatting, not knowing what was gonna come up. And it was highly unlikely anything would come up, since no kids were in sight of the room.

Except those _'kids'_ were undercover spies.

In another table, a fair distance away, sat Nate and me, wearing disguises. Nate had a top hat and a fake mustache, while I wore all my hair up under a straw sun hat with dark red lipstick. We weren't that recognizable.

"This is stupid," Nate whispered.

"No, it'll work," I said, trying to get a better view through all the other customers.

"No it's the mustache that's stupid. It itches like crazy!"

"Well these were Shane's plans originally. _Duh_ the guy's disguise would contain a fake mustache."

Nate rolled his eyes before seeing my Mom stand up to go to the bathroom. "Hey, your mom left."

"Good," I said, raising my wrist behind my menu for no one to see. I pressed the button, Nate scooting over.

"Yup?" Shane's voice said through my watch.

"We're ready," I whispered into my watch.

Meanwhile outside, Shane stood on the building with a suitcase full of G.R.A.Y spy gadgets. He opened up the case and latched a rope wire around his waist. He lowered himself down to a top window and found the back of his target's head. He got out a bow and arrow, aiming it. Except at the head of the arrow, was a small, harmless bomb with itching powder inside.

"Shane, are you sure this is safe?" Nate whispered.

"Ash's the boss. You think she cares about safe?" Shane chuckled, getting his aim right.

Nick looked at me and I sighed. "Is it safe."

"It's safe," Shane answered. "I think," he murmured last minute, shooting the arrow. It landed at the foot of the man's chair, the _wrong_ man's chair. Not only that, but the itching power bomb exploded into a massive cloud, getting half the restaurant into an itching frenzy. But unfortunately, Dave was not part of that group.

Nate and I slowly raised our heads from behind our menu, starring at the mess we caused. "Oh man..." we both whispered.

A waiter looked at us, kind of suspicious. The waiter raised an eyebrow and gave us an accusing look.

I panicked for an excuse. And unfortunately only one came to mind. "Ahh! Ooh! Ahh Geoffry the contractions are coming aah!!"

"Geoffry?" Shane laughed from outside the window as I faked my way through acting.

"Huh?" Nate asked before I grabbed his hand with one hand, and held my stomach with the other.

"My _baby_ is _coming_!!" I screamed through my teeth.

Nate got my plan and his eyes widened, pushing ourselves out of the booth. "Oh right the baby, your baby, in labor, go to hospital. Great food, tip's under the plate, five stars!"

With that we ran out of the restaurant of chaos. Plan 1, failed.

--

"_The second part of their date is a walk in the park_."

Dave and my Mom were walking hand in hand at the local park with the other children playing and running around. Going with Shane's plans, we were in our disguises. I was wearing a blonde wig and a sun dress, jeans underneath, with a purse and sunglasses. Nate was in black clothes with a black hat with holes in it over his face so he could see.

I stood not too far from the couple and pretended not to pay attention. Suddenly Nate, as instructed, ran out from the bushes and grabbed my purse, running.

"Oh no! My purse with all of my money!... In cash!"

Dave started running after the robber, my mom just standing there in shock. A guy we paid then came up to my mom, hitting on her like we asked him. The plan was to have Dave think Mom was cheating on him when he came back.

That plan however.... backfired.

Mom sorta, popped a vein and back flipped the dude. He started running after that. 20 bucks? So not worth that.

"Whoa," I said, blinking my eyes. "Go Mom." At least now I know where I get my aggressiveness from.

Eventually I saw Dave come back to my mom and resume their walk, hand in hand. I turned around and saw in a distance two police men taking Nate away, thinking he was a real mugger.

"What happened to Nate?" Shane asked curiously looking around after popping his head out upside down from the tree I was standing under.

I groaned and slapped my forehead. "This Dave guy's incredible." Plan 2, failed.

--

"_The last part is a movie at the mall. It's a romance, so they'll probably be making out, ugh._"

The movie had already started, my mom and Dave seated in the middle of the theatre. Our plan was to have Mom think I was on a date with someone she wouldn't approve. So, I dressed as myself. As for Nate, well.

"Another stupid disguise," Nate said, peeking into the movie room. "Can't we just skip this part of their date?"

"No. My Mom's bound to flip and ruin the moment. Come on, Nate."

"No way."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Nate's hand, pulling him into the theatre. He was wearing skinny jeans, a leather jacket, and I gelled his hair so Mom wouldn't recognize his curly hair. He had sunglasses on too. He was supposed to be a 'bad guy' as my Mom would put it.

We sat about two rows in front of them, not too far. We sat together, and I used a G.R.A.Y monitor Shane gave me. He was watching the pair from another angle, sorta on camera.

"Do they see us?" Nate asked, looking over the small monitor.

"Not yet," I sighed, seeing them focusing on the movie. "Try and put your arm around me. And yawn loudly."

"Loudly?"

"Just loud enough for them to notice."

"What?"

I starred at the confused Nate. "You clearly aren't experienced in chic flick moves are you."

"Not when I'm dressed like this."

"Oh just do it you big baby."

Nick groaned and then stretched his arm, putting it around me and drawing us closer.

"You couldn't yawn?"

"I don't yawn on purpose."

I looked back down at the monitor and noticed them still watching the movie, not us. "Take off your jacket," I said.

"I'm only wearing a wife beater under this."

"My point. Then they'll notice. Mom, seeing her daughter, with a guy with muscles. That's _got_ to get her attention."

Again annoyed, Nate removed his jacket, placing it on the seat beside him.

"Not yet," Shane said through my watch. "Guess we'll have to take it up a notch."

"And how do we do that?" Nate asked looking at my watch.

"Pretend to make out with Ash."

"Pretend to what out with who now?" I asked, half whispering, half shouting.

"I don't know. In movies not all make out sessions are real. They just have the actors' faces close so it looks like it. You think you two can do that?" Shane's voice asked."

"We'll try... I guess," I said awkwardly, looking at Nate to see if he was okay with it. Though I doubted any of us were okay with this.... except Shane. He must be enjoying this, wherever he's watching.

We put our arms around each other awkwardly and tried to position our heads. Of course we had no idea how to do that. Eventually we did and we had our heads stuck together side to side, in a way. I don't know, but it was uncomfortable. One of us was blushing though, it felt warm.

"Alright," I started whispering. "This is weird."

"No you think?" Nate asked.

"Man _they're_ gonna start to make out!" Shane panicked.

Instantly Nate put all his weight on me and ducked us both down into the chairs so we were out of sight. We were still in our 'hold' though.

"Ow," I moaned. "What the heck was that for-"

"Shh," Nate whispered ."Make it look like we're really making out."

"They're noticing!" Shane said loudly into his communicator.

I was scared to sit up and look through. My body was tense, one from the fact this place might not work, and two that Nick was still on me.

"Whoo! Go Ash!" Mom cheered, making me blink. _What??? _"That'a girl! Whooo!! That's my daughter! Yeah!"

Nate and I both sat up and starred at my Mom, Dave looking kinda embarrassed. Nate and I both looked at each other. And of course, Plan 3, failed.

--

"This day was horrible," I said, lugging myself to my sleeping bag.

"Tell me about it," Nate agreed, looking down from his bed. "My so called wife went into labor, I got arrested, and your mom thinks we were making out."

"Yeah not the kinda day I was goin' for," I nodded.

"Still trying to sabotage your mom and the guy?" Aiden asked from across the room.

"How'd you know about that?" I asked, me and Nate sitting up.

"Shane told me," Aiden said, us giving him a look. "But I know where they're going for their big Valentine's Day Date."

"Where?" Nate asked curious.

"The Valentine's Carnival down at the pier," Aiden told. "You get in free if you're a couple."

"That's a dumb rule. People can just go in pair as a fake couple then split up inside."

"Yeah but the trick thing is is that they watch you from cameras."

Nate processed that through his mind. "Yes I would sure love to spend my Valentine's Day with a girl while on security video camera 24/7."

"Well it's worth it if it's a real date,"Aiden pointed out. "Considering each ticket is fifty dollars."

That much eh? Wow. Nate and I looked at each other, thinking the same thing. I guess the only other way to keep spying on my Mom is to act like a couple ourselves. Oh well. We've done that a lot. We're just friends. Aren't we.

--

On Valentine's Day afternoon at 6:00, my birthday, the carnival had already started down by the beach area. On the pier were rides, stands, games, food, and that ginormous Ferris wheel that always seems to be at every carnival I see.

Now at the front of the line, the ticket person saw Nate and I together. We had our arms linked and my head resting on his shoulder. He signaled his hand to let us go in, not really caring whether there were couples or singles. He was just doing his job really.

We walked in and let go of each other. "That was easier than I thought," Nate said, looking back as we walked.

"Yeah well at least we're in," I said, turning my head in all possible directions. "Do you see Dave or my mom?"

"Too many people," he answered."Let's split up. Then we'll meet up over there by the harbor crates in 15 minutes."

"Right," I said, both of us going separate ways.

--

I looked at my watch as I neared our meeting spot. There was no sign of Mom anywhere. I couldn't find her.

"Hey Ash," Nate called, sitting on one of the crates. I smiled and ran over. "Come on, let's get onto higher ground. We might see them."

Nate took my hand and led me through the crowd, making it to the edge of the entire celebration. He jumped up onto a high crate and pulled me up. We climbed up the stack of the wooden boxes, getting a better view of the entire place. Once we made it up to the top, we turned around.

"See them now?" I asked, taking out the G.R.A.Y glasses for us.

"Not yet," he replied as I put mine on. The glasses zoomed in our vision. ".... Wait Ash, over there!"

"Where- Hey!" I suddenly felt handcuffs on my wrists."Nate what are you-AHHH!"

I was shoved at my side and started to fall off the crate and over the edge of the pier and into the ocean. The coldness of the water shot through me like needles, but that wasn't really what was on my mind at the moment. I was thinking, what was up with Nate?

As I sank, I tried my best to hold my breath and brake out of the handcuffs. But I swore I could have heard something splash from above at the surface. Observing that fact, I saw it was like a mini bomb. It had a red blinking light, signaling it'd activate soon. My eyes widened as I tried to get away, but then I felt two pairs of arms grab me and swim away the opposite direction and towards the surface.

Before I could breath in the water, I blasted up to the surface and rolled onto sand under a small wooden boardwalk. I coughed out some water, along with another. Rolling over, I looked to see Jason and Shane.

"Guys? What are you doing here?" I asked, looking at both of them.

"Mission," Jason coughed out on my left. "Dad sent the both of us on one since you and Nate were on your date."

"We're not on a date."

"Not from what we heard," Shane said on my right. "You two, alone, together, at a Valentine's Day Carnival, for couples."

"Aiden?"

"Aiden," Jason nodded.

I rubbed my forehead on the sand. "That's the last time we take suggestions from him," I said muffled. "Can you please un-cuff me so I may walk and beat the stuffing out of Nate."

"That's sorta the thing," Shane said. "We can't.... un-cuff you."

"You can't what now?" I asked lifting my head. "Don't you have any gadgets?!"

"You and Nate took everything!" Jason shouted, making me give him a face. We _did_ take everything.... man. "And that wasn't Nate."

I starred at Jason then blinked my eyes. ".... What?"

"It was this guy on the G.R.A.Y Top 10 Wanted List. He stole a shape-shifting prototype from the G.R.A.Y lab. He must have shape shifted into Nate to trick you."

"Why doesn't this surprise me," I sighed out, aggravated. Weird stuff like this honestly didn't surprise me anymore as much as it used to in the beginning. "Do you have _anything_?"

Jason blinked, thinking. "... No."

"I have a grape jellybean in my pocket," Shane stated, making us look at him and he changed his expression. "Might be a squished jellybean by now."

I shook my head. "Just get to Nate. He needs to know about this guy. For all we know he could be shape shifting into anybody and it's dangerous now that it's getting late."


	55. Extra Chapter: Love Birthdays Pt2

_Ash is celebrating her first Valentine's Day as a part of G.R.A.Y, but the unusual thing is, is that it's also her birthday, which causes a lot of problems when her mother finds a new boyfriend. Long story short, Ash hates him. So Ash enlists in the help of Nate and his brothers to help her. In a side story, Ash is unwillingly put into a school contest for Valentine's Most Admired against Sharmane._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter xxx : Love Birthdays Pt_2_**_  
_

I walked through the pier with Jason at my back and Shane at my side, hiding the handcuffs. We're Class-A spies and we can't unlock some simple handcuffs. Gosh we've really gone down lately.

"Nate should be in here," Jason said as we arrived in front of the House of Mirrors. "We should split up."

"One of us goes with Ash," Shane told with a stern grip on my shoulder so I wouldn't wander off. I already tried. They wouldn't let me out of their sight until I had my hands back.

"I'll just go by myself. No one goes into the House of Mirrors anyways," I said, shrugging my left shoulder to shake off Shane's hand. "No one will see me with cuffs. Let's just find Nate and he'll get me out of this mess."

"We'll just go with you," Jason said.

"No, you guys split up inside to help cover more ground, communicate with my through my G.R.A.Y earring, okay?"

"But-"

"Okay I'm off!" I announced, marching quickly into the House of Mirrors, lost in its' maze before JShane and Jason could say otherwise.

--

"Hello?" I asked, walking through the maze. My voice echoes and spread everywhere, just like my reflection. I actually bumped into some mirrors every now and then. "Hello?"

I heard a swift move and shot around. I knew I heard something. I turned around again and heard the same thing, maybe even saw something in the mirrors race into hiding.

"You're a clever little spy aren't ya," said a voice behind me, making me jump around and kick my leg, cracking one of the mirrors. But no one was there.

"Tsk tsk tsk," said the same voice, morphing into Nate's. It was the same bad guy. "Don't want that now do we."

Before I knew it, I was blindfolded, didn't see anything but the dark. This guy was good. Now I had no hands _or_ eyes.

"Ack!" I shouted, helpless. I walked in directions, hitting things more than usual. I was lost. "Shane! Jason! Help!" Luckily the guy was gone, but so was my mind. I hadn't felt so vulnerable before. "Help! Help-"

"Hey-"

"Argh!" I grunted, turning and doing another kick, only for it to be caught, but just barely.

"Woah Ash hold on it's me Nate!"

I jumped back and out of the guy's grasp. I couldn't tell if it was the criminal shape shifter or really Nate, but I couldn't take any chances in this state. "Stay away from me," I breathed out warningly.

"Ash?-"

"Stay away you impostor! Don't get any closer!"

"Ash I'm really Nate, you're best friend," he said carefully, knowing my reflexes.

"How should I believe you?" I said unsure, ready to try and fight. Might not win, but I'd hurt him either way.

I could hear him gulp. "Do you trust Nate?"

I hesitated to answer. "Yes."

"Do you know he'd never hurt you?" he further on.

I answered the same. "Yes."

"Do you trust me?" I licked my lips, not knowing what to answer. "If you do, turn around so I can try and get all that stuff off you. If you don't then... go ahead and fight me. My hands are up. Go ahead."

I couldn't see anything, I couldn't feel anything. Fighting probably was a haste decision. If I was wrong, I was in major deep trouble.

I moved my foot behind me and turned around the opposite direction I was facing. Footsteps paced over behind me and I felt gentle hands try to unknot the tight bandanna around my head. It fell around my neck, but I kept my eyes closed out of fear. then I felt the heat of a laser near my hands, cutting through the lock of the cuffs. The sound of metal clinking to the ground echoed like my voice.

His hands rested on my shoulders, feeling my tense breathing. His touch calmed me down, so I knew who it was now. "You can relax now. It's alright."

Suddenly I turned around and hugged Nate tight. It surprised me too, but hey, I had an excuse. "Nate I was so scared. I am so sorry I almost hurt you. I really am I-I-"

"Shh don't worry, you're safe now," Nate's voice said, rubbing my back in our hug. Then I felt him smirk. "You trick so easily."

I gasped then felt a pressure point be hit, knocking me out into unconsciousness.

--**NATE'S POV**--

"Ash!" I called, waiting on the wooden crates. It was getting dark now, and I couldn't find either my Ms. Drame or Ash. I looked at my watch that gave me the same answer. _No Signal From Agent: Ash_

As I breathed out, waiting, I found a familiar face in the crowd, trying to get by in a hurry. It was that Dave guy Ash was looking for at the beginning. I knew I wasn't supposed to leave our meeting spot, but I decided against it to go after Dave for Ash. I ran through the crowd with precise accuracy that I wouldn't loose Dave in the other dozens of people.

"Hey you!" I called out. He turned around and saw me, eyes wide. he began to run, and that was when I got suspicous. "Get back here!"

I chased him down to a closed ride, the both of us jumping that wooden yellow and black pieces of wood which meant don't cross or closed. It was a tunnel of love, and it's little river was still full. He went into one of the swan boats and jumped in, starting the motor and going off. I followed the suit and went after him.

"Omph!" said something my foot hit. I looked down and I saw someone tied up. Hands behind their back, and the arms, mouth, eyes, and ankles tied in hanker-chiefs. I saw a cat ear hat and immediately recognized the girl. "Ash!"

She flexed her legs and kicked me, making me groan in a little pain. Why she kicked me, I had no clue, but I had to get her out. I untied the one covering her mouth and she started breathing in and out. "You, you better get me out of here right now or so help me I'll-"

"Ash calm down-"

She kicked me again, almost making me fall over.

"That's not gonna work again!"

"Ash I don't know what you're talking about-Ogh!"

Ash kicked me again but in my weak spot, well, you know, every guy's weak spot. I fell over in the swan boat and in front of Ash. I was holding my hands together in the spot she hit me with my eyes shut, wincing.

"Ow," I managed to speak. ".... You're Ash all right..... Ow...."

She smirked, still blindfolded. "That's what you get."

"If this is for having to choose sides about the Valentine's Day Most Admired then I'll choose your side if you'll just stop kicking me," I whispered in pain.

Her face lifted up. "Nate?"

"What," I said, opening one eye.

"Oh my gosh that's really you," she whispered, taking a pause with her mouth opening. "Oh..... uh..... hehe..."

Eventually I pulled myself back together and untied Ash out of her fit of repeating 'sorry' over and over again.

"Nick I am so so sorry are you alright?" she asked with her hands on my shoulder and back.

I laughed, sitting back up as the boat moved. "I'm fine now. Just... don't do that again."

She smiled and hugged me. "Thanks."

Eventually we got out of the tunnel and into the night lights, where we had a picture flash, making our eyes shoot to the source. Shane was there with a camera and Dave in handcuffs beside Jason.

"Uh...." Ash blinked, her arms still around my torso.

Shane laughed and waved. "I love this."

Ash and I blushed and she immediately let go. But I reverted my attention back to Dave. "What's Dave doing in handcuffs?"

"He's the criminal who stole a shape shifting prototype from the lab," Jason said, looking at him. "We caught him at the end of the tunnel and handcuffed him."

"Then I saw you two coming and got my camera," Shane smirked with a laugh.

"Shane," Ash said warningly, starting at him. Shane started laughing and threw the camera to Jason and back and forth, Ash stuck in the middle. I watched.

"Hey guys," called a familiar voice as the others froze, me turning around. It was Ash's Mom. Joe hid the camera behind his back, Ash put her hands back down to her side, and Jason pushed Dave into a bush behind him.

"H-Hi Mom," Ash stuttered, looking. "W-What are you doing here? You finished your date?"

"I never went," Mom said, making all four of us stare at her with dumbstruck faces. "I was watching the news and they said a criminal who was on the FBI's Top 10 Wanted List was loose in Wyckoff and it turned out to be Dave, if that's even his name. So I decided to stay home with you. But it turns out you had a little date of your own," she said with a sly smile, having seen me in the boat with her daughter. "Like the boat ride?"

"We did not rise in that thing. Can you not see it's closed?" Ash laughed nervously.

"Exibit A," Joe smiled, holding his camera up from behind his back, showing the pictures of Ash hugging me in the swan boat.

I rubbed the middle of my forehead with my head down as Ash simply glared daggers at Shane.

Her Mom just simply laughed. "Ah whatever go have fun. We can celebrate your birthday tomorrow morning, just the two of us."

"Thanks Mom," Ash smiled before her Mom walked away. Once she was in the crowd, Ash turned around to face my brothers and me. "Well, we caught our bad guy let's go home-"

"Nope," I cut in. "It's your birthday today. We're staying. Jason call G.R.A.Y so they can pick up Dave."

"And not to mention it's Valentine's Day so the three of us are dateless," Shane added in. "Making you our only opinion."

"What about Ember and Mysti?" she asked.

"They don't believe in valentine's Day," Jason answered after calling G.R.A.Y on his watch. "They went to spend a girls night out or something."

She pouted. "And didn't invite me?"

"Nah they pretty much stuck you with us to share," I smiled with an arm around her shoulders.

As I smiled, reminiscing a memory. It all started from the 6th grade Valentine's Day Dance, our first dance.

--**FLASHBACK/ASH'S POV--**

_I was at my house, eating a piece of my birthday cake, bored by the way._

_"You don't seem so cheery," Mom said, having thrown away all the present paper._

_I attempted a smile. "I'm fine. It's just no one else is around. They're all at the junior high Valentine's Day Dance."_

_Mom made a sympathetic smile and rubbed my shoulder from behind my chair. "Don't worry. There's always tomorrow."_

_"Still not the same," I murmured as she walked away._

_I heard the front door open and someone walked in. It was Nate. We were both 11 now. "Hey Ash, Ms. Drame."_

_"Hello, Nate," Mom said, taking her plate to the sink. Nate was wearing dark jeans and a black button down shirt. "Nice of you to drop by," she said, giving me a 'told-you-so' look._

_Nate nodded in reply then turned to me in my chair. "You goin' to the dance? Me and the guys were gonna go but we wanted to wait for you."_

_"Nah. You guys go on without me. I'll stay here."_

_"No you should go, Ash. Our little celebration is done," Mom said, twirling around one of those party things she bought._

_"Please?" Nate asked with a smile and a glint in his eye._

_"Sorry Nate. I, just don't feel like going. I mean, it's a dance, our first dance. We don't even have dates."_

_"I know," Nate nodded. "That's why we wanted to ask if you'd go with us."_

_"We?"_

_Shane and Jason came in one cue, also wearing jeans and button down shirts."Hi."_

_"Shane? Jason?"_

_"Nate's telling the truth. Wanna go to the dance with all of us as friends?" Jason asked. "It might be fun. Get out of the house."_

_I made an amused face. "You sure you two wanna take a sixth grader to a dance?"_

_"Hey, you're an exception," Shane said, trying to ruffle my hair. "And it's cool to take the girls in younger grades," he said with a grin, only to get playfully smacked by Jason and Nate._

_"Please?" Nate asked afterwards.  
_

_I looked at the three boys then at my Mom, who still wanted me to go. "Fine... but I'm not wearing make up."_

_"Fine with us," Nate said with a smile._

_"At least look decent," Mom said, going to the hallway closet and pulling something out. "Take of those sweat clothes put this on."_

_"What is it?" I asked, her shoving a bag into my lap. She pushed me into the bathroom while she moved the guys to the living room._

_"No I don't wanna," my young voice whined, the guys looking at the kitchen door._

_"Just go Ash they're waiting," Mom said, pushing me through the door. I was wearing a red orange dress, but I wore baggy brown pants underneath with boots. I still wore my cat ear hat too._

_"Well at least we know you're Ash," Shane said, making Jason chuckle._

_"You look great. Let's go," Nate said, making me smile.  
_

_We arrived to the dance, with me linking arms with Nate, Shane, and Jason, which was kinda hard, but we managed._

_"Ash," Nate said, calling me over to the corner of the room and pulling something out. It was a box. I opened it, and a homemade necklace was inside. It was a circular medallion covered in foil with gold paint and a red heart inside, saying Ash at the top of the circle and Nate at the bottom."You like it?"_

_"Love it," I said, speechless. "Nate, this is a great birthday present. You made this for me?"_

_He didn't respond for a moment until he snapped back into reality. "Oh, yeah, birthday present."_

--**END FLASHBACK**--

"I remember that," Nate said, me and him in a cart on the Ferris Wheel. Shane and Jason were in another one, I think. "That was a good dance."

"Yeah," I nodded, kinda distracted. Didn't know why, though. Was I... nervous?

"Hey guys," Jason's voice said from our watches. "Ember and Mysti said they're all set up."

"Set up with what?" I asked.

Nate smiled, bending over towards the window. "Look up in the sky. Wait for it."

We both looked up and saw the night sky. And within a matter of seconds, a huge explosion noise bursted into the atmosphere. There were fireworks. Their brightness reflected in my eyes as I watched with complete amazement.

"Wow," I said, dazzled.

"Thank Mysti. She got the fireworks," Nate told me. "Along with another thing I requested."

"What is it?"

"Look."

As I starred up, wondering what Nate meant, another group of lights lit up in the fireworks. They were those firework picture things I always loved seeing. Except this one was different. It was a golden yellow circle with a giant red heart in the center. And then another set of fireworks set off revealing TO ASH right above it.

"Oh my..." I gaped, turning to Nate.

"Love it?"

"Uh, yeah!" I shouted, hugging him, him hugging me back. I enjoyed this feeling especially today. I kissed his cheek and let go, turning back to watch the fire works.

What I didn't notice was Nate touch the spot I kissed his cheek, starring at me in surprise. But he smiled nonetheless.

--

Monday Morning.

"I won! I won I won!" Sharmane cheered down the hallways, hugging all her cheerleader friends who congratulated her.

"I hate her," Ember said plainly as I walked down. She had a bunch of single roses, hundreds even.

"It doesn't really matter," I told. "I don't even know why I freaked out before."

"You had to have gotten something," Ember said.

I opened my locker, expecting to find no roses, by instead I found the thing I'd least expect. I took out a bouquet of perhaps two dozen red roses in a single bouquet. And that was big.

"Whoa," Ember said, starring. "That must be one real dedicated guy."

"Yeah," I agreed, looking for any note or something. Nothing.

"What???!!!"

We turned around, seeing a bunch of people crowding around towards the door to the cafeteria. Ember and I looked at each other and ran towards there.

"I so will not kiss you," Sharmane said, all of her countless roses on her table.

"But you promised that if we each gave you a flower you'd give us a each a kiss," said one of the boys from the health club. He wasn't really the coolest looking guy around.

"Well I lied," Sharmane said, counting her roses.

"I should have never givin you a rose!" said one guy behind, a bunch of other boys agreeing.

"Hey look everybody! It's Ashley Drame the other contestant!" shouted a boy on a bench. And before I knew it, all of the boys present ran to me, grabbing their roses from the table. Ember and I were crowded around, up to the brim in roses.

"Would you look at that," Shane said, watching from their usual table.

"Poor Ash," Jason said, shaking his head. "At least this qualifies her for winning."

"You think she liked her original roses?" Shane asked Nate.

Nate shrugged. "As far as she knows, they're not from me," he said, drinking his iced tea.

Jason looked at his little brother. "Dude, you've gotta confess eventually."

"I have nothing _to_ confess, and I have nothing I _will_ be confessing any time soon," Nate protected in a calm manner.

"Like how each Valentine's Day you never confess to Ash that all those presents you give her are all for Valentine's Day, and not her birthday," Joe told.

Nate scoffed. "No they're not," he denied. "They're all for her birthday, case closed."

Jason arched his eyebrow. "Nate, you've spent 60 dollars on a necklace for her, 40 dollars to Mysti for fireworks, and 50 dollars on roses, _all for Ash._ And it took Joe and I all morning to cancel that purchase on a car you were going to get her. She can't even drive!"

"Well she's gonna eventually," Nate continued.

"Dude, you're giving Ash your all. Does that not speak _anything_ to your mind," Shane said with his hands.

"Is it supposed to?" Nate asked, making Shane and Jason roll their eyes. "Come on guys. Maybe I'm just a dedicated best friend who wants to make Ash happy with, unnecessary and overpriced objects."

"We're dealing with the couple of all idiots, the oblivious and the denier," Shane said to Jason. "And that's saying something considering I'm an idiot."

Jason looked to Nate. "I know you aren't going to admit it, but I want you to know this. If you wait too long, it'll be too late. Look at how many guys she attracts now."

"She's not. It's just the contest, that's all."

Shane raised an eyebrow and pulled on a random guy's shirt. "Dude, you think Ash Drame's smokin' hot yes or no?"

"Duh yeah," he said like it was obvious before Joe let him go. Jason and Shane looked back to Nate, who looked away and sipped his iced tea again.

"Yes. Definitly no, attraction," Joe stated.

"Get me out of here!" I cried from the crowd of boys all piling me and unfortunately Ember too, with flowers. Sharmane watched in complete envy from the sidelines.

--

Nate was in his recording booth in their basement with his was making a new song.

_I know that it's been a while now  
But you can't seem to get out of my head  
These songs keep coming up and I'm writing  
Over and over again  
Your eyes and smiles that pass me by  
Each day but I stay behind_

_Either way I'm okay  
Even though I've got alot to say  
Either way it's the same  
I get by the repeating days  
Can't get over you  
But I hide behind this fable smile_

_The pain in my words stay unspoken  
Because you can't change the past  
What I have I value  
I don't want for  
Everything I have to fade into the vast  
So we keep what we have to the beat  
Of this song so secretly_

_Either way I'm okay  
Even though I've got alot to say  
Either way it's the same  
I get by the repeating Days  
Can't get over you  
But I hide behind this fable smile_

Mysti and I were at the controls. While I was looking at all of the quipment, Ember had a pair of headphones to her ear, listening silently to Nate's recording.

"You two are real close huh," she said as his song came to an end.

"What?" I asked, her voice surprsiing me since it was so quiet.

"You and Nate. He is really close to you, isn't he?" she repeated.

"Yeah," I answered, not really paying attention to her question.

"Then you know you are close to him, don't you."

"I guess," I said with an arched eyebrow, wondering what she was talking about.

"...Do you know _just_ how close you are to him?"

I turned my head around, looking at Mysti with her hand on the headphones. "What?"

Mysti looked at me at the corner of her eye. "Do you know how much Nate values your friendship?"

"Of course I do," I finally answered.

Mysti turned around fully. "Do you?"

By now I was unsure, all because of the atmostphere in here. "Where are you getting at?"

Mysti decided not to tell of the song she had just heard. "Let me finish with this, just to make it quick. All of those birthday gifts that you recieved from Nate-"

"You mean from everybody."

She shook her head. "You might think that, but technically it's all from Nate. He thought of it, he paid for it, he meant it all for you."

"And...?"

"I may not believe in it, but your birthday falls on the same day as Valentine's Day. Do you ever come to think that those gifts are _for_ Valentine's Day.... ? Just Valentine's Day."

"Can't they be for both?" I asked, probably understanding what she was trying to get through. I just didn't want to believe it.

"Ash," Mysti said sternly, walking over. "You can take me seriously like an adult, or you can keep running away like a child."

"Maybe I am a child," I defended. "And I'm not running away.... Especially since I don't know what I'm running away from."

Mysti gave me a sympathetic look. "Just, take my word for it. You really, _really_ mean a lot to Nate.... maybe more than just a friend?"

I looked up at her as I sat down. "Why are you telling me this...?"

Mysti shrugged, heading for the staircase. "Just felt like it was the right time..... Since it seemed kinda obvious today especially."

"The fireworks _were_ from him" I admitted. "He gave me a homemade medallion a couple years back, just like it."

"Figured as much," Mysti smiled from under her eye bandages. For a smart blind girl, she's really.... smart. "So were the roses."

"The roses?" I asked, confused.

"The original ones you got in your locker," Mysti said.

"How'd you know about those?" I asked.

"Kevin told me," she answered. "Nate was the one who ordered them from Kevin."

"Oh..." I said quietly. "...._Those_ roses.... They were from Nate all along."

"Yup," Mysti said.

We heard the glass on the window knock. I turned and saw Nate. We both walked to the soundproof booth's door and met up with Nate there.

"Is it okay for me to come in? You two looked like you were having a talk or something," Nate said, having been afraid to leave the recording booth.

"No, it was nothing important," Mysti smiled assuringly.

The door upstairs opened. It was Ember. "Hey guys get up here! We're watching a movie!"

"We'll be right up!" I called to her as the three of us left. But Mysti's talk was stuck in my head now. I looked at Nate's back, my mind wandering to all the posibilities. Mysti's not that right.... right?


End file.
